EASTEEN EXPERIENCES. 



♦ 



LONDON : PIMMTKI) JSV 

si-cm swoon n and ro.. njjw-stkuet ayuA£ 

AND PABI.IAMKNT STKK1ST 



EASTERN 
EXPERIENCES. 



BY 



L. BOWRING, C.S.I. 

h 

LATE 

CHIET? COMMISSIONER OF MYSORE AND COORG. 



SECOND EDITION, 



83 



LONDON : 

Henry S. King & Co., 65 Cornhill. 

1872. 



(All rights reserved.) 



PREFACE. 



»o><S^c-o 

The following sketches of Mysore and Coorg are 
based upon notes made during the course of several, 
tours through those provinces, to which has been 
added such information from published official reports, 
and other sources, as could be comprised within 
moderate limits. The other papers contain obser- 
vations recorded at the time, and old reminiscences. 

The letters from my wife to her friends at home 
will perhaps afford a lively idea of first impressions in 
India, and, although placed at the end of the book, as 
sweets come after solids, many may think that, being 
more digestible, they should take precedence of the 
heavier articles. 

For the sake of uniformity, the scientific system of 
spelling oriental names has been generally followed, 
but it has not been thought necessary to alter the old 
familiar mode of writing in the case of such well- 
known names as Mysore, Seringapatam, Coorg, Banga- 
lore, &c. 

L. Bo WRING. 

Torquay: May 1871. 



CONTENTS. 







PAGE 

I. MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE . . . ] 

II. COORG LAND : . . . . . .223 

III. THE PANJAB BEFORE ANNEXATION . . .269 

IV. THE SIKH INVASION OF THE C1S-SATLAJ COUNTRY . 305 
V. A VISIT TO THE TAIPINGS IN 1854 . . . .337 

VI. CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME . . .363 



MAPS AND DIAGRAMS. 

SKETCH MAP OF MYSORE . . . To face page 1 

PEDIGREE OF THE NAIKS OF KILADI . „ „ 120 

MAHARAJA OF MYSORE . Between pages 182-183 

SKETCH MAP OF COORG . . . . To face page 223 

PEDIGREE OF THE COORG RAJAS . . „ „ 241 

PHULKIAN MISAL . . „ 320 



ERRATA. 



Page 51, line 5, for 'Mlgeri' read Nilgiri. 
„ 62, „ 6 from bottom, for 1016 a.d. read 1116 a.d. 
„ 76, 9 for 1265 read 1275. 



MYSORE, 

HISTOEICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



About four years ago, a more animated discussion than 
usually arises on Indian subjects took place in Parlia- 
ment regarding the future of the Mysore province, and 
an announcement by the Secretary of State that Her 
Majesty's Government had recognised, on certain con- 
ditions, the adoption of a son made by the sovereign 
of the territory, was received with satisfaction. 

It is proposed in this paper to give some account of 
a country which is the second in rank of the Queen's 
feudatory provinces in India, and which, in many other 
respects, is not devoid of interest. 

Mysore has an area of about 28,000 square miles, a 
population of four millions, and a revenue of more than 
one million sterling. It is greater in extent than some 
European kingdoms ; and although the population is 
only 143 to a square mile, and is therefore much less 
than that of most European States, or than that of 
Bengal and the North-west Provinces, it is nearly the 
same as that of the Punjab and the Madras Presidency. 
The taxation falls at the rate of about five shillings per 
head, while of the total income nearly four-fifths are 
realised from land revenue. 



2 



MYSORE, HISTORICAL AJS T D DESCRIPTIVE. 



The tables at foot 1 give the details of the population 
in 1869-70, and of the government revenue and charges 
from all sources in 186 8-6 9. 2 

Few parts of India have a more diversified surface 
than Mysore. An orographical map of the country 



1 1. Population. 

1. Hindus . . 3,839,679 

2. Jains . . 12,623 

3. Native Christians* 8,186 

4. Musalraans . 189,272 

5. Eurasians. . 2,855 

6. Europeans 1 * . 4,151 

Total . 4,056,766 



a It is believed that a con- 
siderable number of Caste 
Christians are comprised in 
this total. 

b Includes European sol- 
diers. 



2. Revenue. 

Rupees 

1. Land Revenue . . 77,53,672 

2. Forests . . . 3,51,476 

3. Excise . . . 9,56,510 

4. Customs . . . 7,19,157 

5. Assessed Taxes (Moturfa) 3,79,425 

6. Salt . . . . 14,429 

7. Stamps , . . 3,40,131 

8. Post Office . . . 37,620 

9. Law and Justice . 1,15,348 

10. Police . . . 7,545 

11. Education . . . 20,171 

12. Miscellaneous . . 1,00,147 

13. Military Local Force . 7,921 

14. Public Works . . 74,726 



Total Rupees . 108,78,278 
Equal to . . £1,087,827 



3. Charges. 



1. Refunds ♦ 

2. Land Revenue 

3. Forests . 

4. Excise . 

5. Assessed Taxes 

6. Stamps . 

7. Mint . 

8. Post Office . 

9. Palace Charges and 

Public offices 

10. Law and Justice 

11. Police . 

12. Education, Science 

and Art 

Carried forward 



Rupees 

15,142 
9,90,769 
1,19,950 
20,165 
844 
18,153 
320 
1,28,316 

14,88,137 
10,81,959 
5,15,817 

1,81,280 



Brought forward . 

13. Medical Services . 

14. Stationery and 

Printing 

15. Treaty Assignments 

and Allowances . 

16. Miscellaneous 

17. Charitable Institu- 

tions and Pensions 

18. Mysore Local Force 

19. Public Works De- 

partment . 



Rupees 

1,08,214 



54,648 



25,71,155 
82,904 

3,66,988 



Total Rupees 
Equal to . 



. 104,12,941 
. £1,041,294 



2 This year is taken in preference to 1869-70, as in that year some of 
the instalments of revenue were postponed till 1870-71, thereby affecting 
the receipts. 



SURFACE. — RAINFALL . 



3 



would exhibit an immense plateau, studded, either 
with bold isolated hills, called drugs (droogs), or with 
ranges, some of which attain, on the western frontier, 
an altitude of nearly 7,000 feet above the sea. Scarcely 
a single square mile of level ground can be found on 
the plateau, the surface being everywhere undulating. 
The great station of Bangalore has an elevation of 
3,031 feet, but, from this point, excepting a few other 
places in its vicinity, the general level of the country 
falls away on all sides, the southern part of the pro- 
vince, under the Nilgiri hills, being less than 2,000 feet, 
while the northern frontier at Harihar shows a height 
of only 1,800 above the sea. The same tendency is 
observable towards the east, as also on the western 
border, till one reaches the stupendous mountain ranges 
which separate Mysore from the districts of Canara on 
the coast. 

The height of the Mysore plateau, in a latitude where 
the continent of India is only 350 miles across, gives 
it the full benefit of both the north-east monsoon in the 
beginning of winter, and the south-west in the rainy 
season. 

The average rainfall yearly at Bangalore is about 
35 inches, but there is a striking difference between 
the fall on the east and the west sides of the province, 
the yearly average in some of the eastern subdivisions 
being only 15 to 20 inches, while on the western ghats 
it frequently amounts to more than 100 inches. 

The country is well watered, both by streams and 
artificial means, and is therefore productive ; but, with 
the exception of a few favoured localities, it is very 

B 2 



4 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

feverish, owing partly to the great alternations of 
temperature to which it is subject, and also to the 
malaria produced by the decomposition of the sienite 
rock which covers the province. The dense jungles on 
the borders have also a prejudicial effect on health. 

Mysore is divided into three divisions, and eight dis- 
tricts, as follows : — 



1. Nandidroog. 

Bangalore (Bengalur) 
Toomkoor (Tumkur) 
Kolar 



2. Ashtagram. 

Mysore (Maisiir) 
Hasan 



3. Nagar. 

Shimoga 
Kadoor (Kadiir) 
Chitaldroog (Chitaldrug) 



This division was made a few years ago for purposes 
of administrative convenience, but the nature of the 
country and the habits of the people differ widely in the 
several districts, and it is therefore proposed to give such 
details of the peculiarities of each as may be comprised 
within the moderate limits of this paper. 

NANDIDROOG DIVISION.— BANGALORE. 

Bangalore being the present head-quarters of the 
Mysore administration, the district of that name first 
deserves mention. It has an area of 2,586 square 
miles, a population of 659,000, and yields a revenue 
from all sources of 180,000/. 

The foundation of the town of Bangalore is attri- 
buted to a prince who arrived in the country in a 
starving state, and was entertained, somewhat after the 
fashion of King Alfred, by a woman who gave him 
some beans called ' Bengalu ' to eat, in commemoration 
of which, the grateful chief, when he succeeded in 



EAELY HISTORY OF BANGALORE.— KEMPE GAUD A. 5 



establishing his sway, called the scene of his adventure 
Bengahiru, or the City of Beans, corrupted in English 
to Bangalore. Another tale relates that the first ruler 
of note was one Vira Gauda, who, to preserve the fair 
fame of his daughter, who was persecuted by an im- 
portunate suitor of rank, fled from Kanjeveram, in the 
Madras presidency, and established himself at Bangalore, 
of which he after some time obtained possession. Little 
interest attaches to the history of this family till the 
time of Kempe Gauda, or the Eed Chief, who having 
discovered some hidden treasure at Alsur, in the 
neighbourhood of the town, proceeded at once to 
strengthen his position by building a fort, within which 
he erected a temple dedicated to his family gods. 

About this time the authority of the kings of the 
Anagundi family, who, for several centuries, had reigned 
at Vijayanagar on the Tungabhadra river, was waxing 
faint, and a host of small barons called Palegars (from 
paliam, a subdivision of a country) sprang up, each 
helping himself to as much territory as he could seize 
and hold. Among these, Kempe Gauda occupied a 
conspicuous place ; but not content with fortifying his 
abode in the plains, he, like the other Palegars, sought 
for a stronghold to which he might betake himself in 
troublous times. Twenty-eight miles from Bangalore, 
in the heart of a rugged hill country, is a superb granite 
rock, 4,024 feet above the sea, called Savandrug. It has 
bold precipitous sides, and can only be approached by 
a narrow and steep ascent up the face of the hill, which 
is covered with thick jungle, and in its numerous sharp 
turns offers formidable obstacles to an attacking force. 



6 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

The most singular feature in the hill fortresses called 
Drugs, or droogs (from a Sanskrit word signifying in- 
accessible), of which there are more than twenty in 
Mysore ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 feet in height, is 
that water, generally of good quality, is almost in- 
variably found on the summit of these mountains. This 
circumstance naturally led to these precipitous fortresses 
being selected as strongholds for offensive and de- 
fensive purposes, and, as all the easier approaches were 
strengthened by double walls, bastions, and gateways, 
the reduction of such forts was, in olden time, only to 
be accomplished by treachery. 1 

Having selected Savandrug as his place of refuge, 
Kempe Gauda added to the natural strength of the 
rock by throwing up stone walls wherever the sides of 
the hill were not inaccessible, and so formidable was 
the fortress deemed to be, that it was never captured 
by any native commander, the solid walls remaining to 
this clay to attest the excellence of the materials em- 
ployed in building them. 

The arduous task of reducing this stronghold was, 
however, successfully accomplished by Lord Cornwallis' 
army in the first war with Tippu Sultan, notwithstand- 
ing the extreme difficulty of dragging artillery over the 

1 An interesting account might be written of the more remarkable 
forts in India, such as Deogiri in the Deccan, which is scarped all round 
perpendicularly to a height of 150 feet ; Bandogarh in the Rewa territory, 
which is surrounded by a morass well-nigh impassable ; the famous 
fortress of Chitor, celebrated in the annals of Rajput chivalry; Singgarh, 
the scene of Sivaji's principal exploit j the vast stronghold of Rothas on 
the river Son, in Behar ; Kalinjar, the key of Bundelkhand ; Rintimbor, 
Riyasi, and many others noted in past times, not to speak of those which 
have acquired historical renown in our own days, such as Trichinopoly, 
Seringapatam, Delhi, Lucknow, &c. 



BANGALORE CHOSEN AS A SITE FOR BRITISH TROOPS. 7 

rugged stony country beneath it, the formidable nature 
of the defences, and the number of guns placed in posi- 
tion. The garrison lost heart and fled, although, if 
defended by men of resolution, the fort might long 
have held out against the British force. 

During the feeble rule of Kempe Gauda's successors, 
Bangalore fell successively into the hands of the Musal- 
man sovereigns of Vijayapur or Beejapoor, and the 
Mahrattas, and was finally sold by Kasim Khan, a gene- 
ral of the Emperor Aurangzeb, to the Mysore Eaja, 
then rapidly rising in importance. 

When Haidar Ali had usurped power in Mysore, he 
strengthened the fortifications of Bangalore, while the 
town itself was protected by a deep ditch and a dense 
thicket, so that, on the place being stormed in 1791 by 
Lord Cornwallis' army, the loss of the British was rather 
heavy. 

After the capture of Seringapatam in 1799, English 
troops were stationed at that place for many years, but, 
on fever of a virulent type breaking out and continuing 
persistently, it was determined to select a more salu- 
brious locality. The elevation of Bangalore, and its 
position on the high road from Madras to Mysore, 
pointed it out as a fitting place for the new head- 
quarters, and the troops were accordingly removed 
thither. It has many advantages in regard to climate 
and situation, but there is a great deficiency of water, 
and in seeking sites for new barracks, an egregious 
error has been committed in building them on an ex- 
posed site, without a drop of water, and in close proxi- 
mity to the drainage of the station. Little attention 



8 



MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



seems to have been paid to the opinion of those best 
qualified to advise on so important a question, for a far 
better site, with an . ample water supply, and removed 
from the noxious influences of foul drainage, was avail- 
able to the eastward of the Aisiir reservoir. 

To add to the blunders about the site, the arsenal 
was left in the fort, several miles off, on the further side 
of the native town, while thousands of pounds have 
been spent on palatial barracks, indifferently built, and 
standing on a plateau where nothing will vegetate, and 
where there is not space for a single officer's house. 

The presence of a large British force speedily at- 
tracted to Bangalore the usual surrounding of traders, 
and a further impetus was given to its growing pro- 
sperity by the transfer to it of the civil administration 
of the province when the government was taken out of 
the hands of the late Maharaja Krishnaraj in 1831. 
Again, on the opening of the railway in 1864, the town 
became the nucleus of the trade of the whole country, 
and the population has increased so largely that it now 
ranks next to Madras among the cities of Southern 
India. According to a census taken two years ago, the 
population amounted to 132,000, of which the can- 
tonment contained 79,000, and the old town 53,000 
inhabitants. The bulk of the population is Hindu, 
there being only 11,000 Musalmans, 3,900 Europeans 
(including English soldiers), and 2,500 Eurasians. 

According to popular tradition, the city is destined 
to still further expansion. On some of the eminences 
in the vicinity are picturesque little temples, called 
6 Mantapams,' which are assigned as the future limits 



CLIMATE . — GARDENS . 



9 



of the place, two of them being far beyond the inha- 
bited quarters. 

The climate seems to be equally suited to Europeans 
and natives, epidemics being of rare occurrence, and 
other diseases of a mild character. In proof of its 
salubrity, it may be observed that, although it is situ- 
ated in the 13th degree of north latitude, and therefore 
exposed to a tropical sun, the English soldiers are in 
the habit of playing cricket on the parade-ground for 
eight months of the year without any ill effects. 

If well watered, and if partially protected from the 
sun, European fruits and vegetables attain a perfection 
which is rare in India, and at the monthly shows, held 
in the neat market-place in the cantonment, a stranger 
will be surprised to see the interest taken by the native 
gardeners in the improvement of their stock, and the 
intelligent competition to which these periodical ex- 
hibitions have given rise. Both fruits and vegetables, 
however, rapidly deteriorate in the absence of a fresh 
supply of seeds yearly. In the Public Garden, called 
the Lai Bagh, the formation of which is attributed to 
Haidar Ali, the visitor might at first imagine himself 
transferred to a purely European pleasure-ground, till, 
advancing, he sees the gorgeous creepers, the wide- 
spreading mangos, and the graceful betel-nut - trees 
which characterise the east. The garden is a beautiful 
retreat, and is frequented by all classes, the natives 
being attracted to it mainly by the menagerie attached 
to it. Of late years, the Government of India have 
shown a laudable desire to encourage, on the part of 
the people of the country, an interest in all that 



10 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

humanises and refines the mind, instead of treat- 
ing them like an inexhaustible milch-cow ; and the 
formation at great stations of horticultural gardens, 
menageries, and museums has been productive of the 
best effects. 

Owing to its superior climate, and to its being within 
easy reach of Madras, Bangalore has acquired an im- 
portance which would never have been anticipated. 
The non-official European population is large, and 
yearly increasing, while property is beginning to 
acquire a great value, land already selling for building 
purposes at a high rate. The commercial interests 
which have grown up during a long and settled rule 
demand attention, while the British Government lias 
spent large sums on military buildings. The sovereignty 
of the soil is, however, vested in the Maharaja, and it 
therefore will be a question for anxious consideration 
how to secure best the interests of all parties when the 
young chief attains his majority. It is extremely im- 
probable, on the one hand, that his officials would 
efficiently administer civil and criminal justice, and 
supervise municipal matters in a large station full of 
Europeans ; while, on the other, the interests of the 
non-military population are far too weighty to be made 
over to ordinary military tribunals. 

The only solution which will avert serious complica- 
tions hereafter, appears to be the surrender by the 
Maharaja to the British Government of the town and 
station of Bangalore, together with such portion of the 
entourage as may be essential for public purposes, the 
jurisdiction being placed in the hands of a civil officer 



CESSION OF BANGALORE ADVOCATED. 



11 



instead of the military authorities. The time has gone 
by when military tribunals could deal properly with 
all the litigation that may arise in great stations in 
India, as cases of a complicated nature which demand 
experienced judges frequently arise, while house pro- 
perty is far too valuable to be dealt with summarily. 
All power of appropriating private houses for military 
purposes ought to be put an end to, it being the duty 
of the English Government to provide residences for 
their officers, should they not be able to do so them- 
selves. The former custom of reserving certain houses 
within particular limits for military occupation, tends 
to deteriorate the value of the property, and is neither 
necessary nor excusable at the present time. 

The Mysore State pays to the British Government 
250,000/. yearly for the protection afforded by the 
troops quartered in the territory ; but those troops now 
cost about 360,000/., owing to the great rise in prices, 
and the enhanced cost of maintaining the various 
military departments since the treaty was originally 
made with the Eaja. It would, therefore, appear fair 
to assume the latter sum as the basis of calculation, 
and to purchase from His Highness the sovereignty 
of Bangalore, and of a sufficient circle of jurisdiction 
around it, ceding to him the island of Seringapatam, 
which belongs to the British Government, although it 
is rented by the Eaja at a valuation of double its 
present income. 

It is to be observed, however, that Bangalore is 
now of great value, not so much from its yearly 
receipts, as from the circumstance that the British 



12 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



Government has expended there a large capital on 
military buildings. Again, the Eaja may urge that 
he does not require in these peaceful times so large a 
force as is now stationed at Bangalore, 1 and that it 
is a mere matter of convenience to the British 
Government to retain so many European troops at so 
salubrious a station. Should circumstances render 
necessary a fresh treaty, he will be able to obtain 
more favorable terms than might at first sight be 
imagined. The former treaties being still in force, 
and actually adhered to in judicial questions, not 
without occasional inconvenience, his sovereignty can- 
not be challenged, and he appears to have a vantage 
ground, which he may fairly employ in demurring to 
any enhancement of the subsidy now paid by him, 
unless an equivalent abatement is made for any terri- 
tory ceded by him. 

Assuming the income of Seringapatam at 2,500/. 
yearly, its value at twenty years' purchase would be 
50,000/. ; whereas, the value of Bangalore, exclusive 
of all municipal income, would be at least four times 
as great. Seringapatam would, however, be specially 
important to the Eaja, as being the seat of his ancestors, 
and invested with a sacred character, so that a mere 
money payment would not represent its value ac- 
curately. If ceded to the Eaja, it would be neces- 
sary to stipulate against the fortress being further 
strengthened. 

1 It consists of 1 Regt. of European Cavalry ; 1 Regt. of European 
Infantry ; 3 Batteries of European Artillery ; 2 Regts. of Native Infantry; 
and 3 Companies of Sappers' 



IIAIDAK ALl's PALACE. — BAXGALOKE CAXTONMEXT. 13 



The administration of the province was for thirty- 
seven years carried on in an ancient palace in the 
Bangalore fort, which was built by Haidar Ali, and 
was, according to a pompous inscription let into the 
wall, the admiration of the heavens. It is in some 
respects interesting, as connected with the history of 
the usurper and his son, but is architecturally insignifi- 
cant and in a dilapidated state, while the fort itself, 
though noteworthy as the place of captivity of many 
Englishmen, and, among others, of Sir David Baird, 
during the war with Tippu Sultan, is no longer 
formidable. 

Within the last few years, a fine range of public 
offices has been erected close to the military station. 
Should the Eaja, on attaining his majority, reside per- 
manently at Mysore, like his predecessor, this building 
would be useful to the British Government, 

Like all great military stations in India, the can- 
tonment of Bangalore is a heterogeneous assemblage of 
people of various nationalities and speaking several 
languages. In its bazars and streets are to be seen 
the enterprising Tamilian merchant, employe, or 
servant; Telugu-speaking Brahmans, gardeners and 
sepoys ; Kanarese agriculturists, shepherds, and bul- 
lock-drivers ; the proud and dignified Musalman, de- 
spising his Hindu compatriot, and disliking though 
fearing the foreigner ; stray Arabs, Afghans, and 
Parsis, slender and dark Eurasians, and sturdy and 
fair Englishmen. It is hard to say what particular 
race predominates, or in what city of India one finds 
oneself, for there is a general resemblance in all 



14 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AKD DESCRIPTIVE. 

military stations, though few wear so European a 
guise as Bangalore, with its many churches and its 
numerous attractive gardens. 

Passing from the cantonment to the town hard by, 
there is no mistaking the fact that one is in the centre 
of a population which is almost exclusively Kanarese 
in origin and in language. Intrusive Europeans are 
rarely met with, and even the Musalmans are so few 
in number as scarcely to attract attention, save in 
particular localities where a small mosque denotes 
their presence. Hindu life is here seen in its native 
simplicity, everything conveying the impression of 
that unchanging oriental type which has characterised 
for thousands of years the Indian existence, and which 
lies deep below the surface of western refinement. 
The tinkling of small bells, morning and evening, in 
the heavy and quaintly-carved temples, betokens the 
offering up of the daily sacrifice according to the 
primitive Hindu custom, strings of white jasmins being- 
thrown at the feet of the idols, or the lingam, by de- 
vout worshippers, who creep into the narrow doorway 
which leads into the mystical and dark sanctum, 
where is placed some personification of the deity. 
When the sun first shows himself above the horizon, 
high-caste Brahmans are to be seen resorting to the 
city tank, where they pour water over their heads and 
shoulders, and recite silently the sacred Gayatri verse, 
as they make their ablutions. As the day advances, 
the petty shopkeepers, who do not seem in Mysore to 
be such early risers as in other parts of India, display 
their wares, whether for food or for dress, in the most 



SHOPS. TRADERS. 



15 



tempting manner, those of the same trade having their 
shops in close proximity to one another in a rivalry 
which would seem to be injurious. Baskets full of 
the various grains of the country, or of betel leaves 
tied up in bundles of one hundred leaves, garlands of 
white and yellow flowers tastefully tied together with 
threads, small platters of betel nut chopped into four 
pieces, heaps of cotton and silk goods, piled one on the 
top of another, and trays of sweetmeats of every kind, 
melting in the sun and swarming with flies, meet the 
eye. everything being exposed in open shops. 

There is little of the brilliancy which attracts in 
European shops, or even of the show in some of the 
great towns of Northern India, nor is Bangalore re- 
markable for any manufactures, except carpets of rare 
quahty, rugs, and articles of mixed silk and cotton. 
Nevertheless, some of the leading merchants are men 
of substance, and bear the honourable appellation of 
Shetti, which entitles them to wear a gold signet-ring, 
to be accompanied in processions by smaller city func- 
tionaries, and to immunity from certain taxation. They 
trade largely in grain, exporting the millets and pulses 
of the province, and importing rice from the low 
country. Their greed is sometimes complained of, and 
in a time of famine it is difficult to resist the clamor 
of the poorer classes, and to refuse to interfere arbi- 
trarily with prices as the ancient rulers did under 
similar circumstances. It is doubtful, however, whether 
Indian traders are more rapacious than those of other 
countries, and, although they rarely bestow money, they 
readily give grain to the needy, while the more wealthy 



16 



MYSORE, HISTORICAL AXD DESCRIPTIVE. 



have founded resting-places, called chhatrams, where 
travellers put up, and where food is distributed gratis 
to the higher castes. The character of the native 
bankers stands as high as that of any bankers in 
the world, breach of commercial honesty, as regards 
the due acceptance and payment of bills, being almost 
unknown among them. 

There are no native merchants, however, in Southern 
India to rival the millionaires of Amritsar, Agra, or 
Bombay, so that the trading classes, keen as they are 
about their own affairs, exercise no influence whatever 
over the administration of the country. Again, the 
landed aristocracy, which existed prior to the ascen- 
dancy of the Mysore Eajas and the usurpation of 
Haiclar Ali, is absolutely extinct, so that neither land nor 
money conveys that right which should give importance 
to the possessor. The result is that both the commer- 
cial and agricultural communities are as a bundle of 
sticks, the whole of the authority of the province being 
in the hands of the officials, nine-tenths of whom are 
Brahmans. Many of these are men of great ability, 
and some bear a very high reputation for integrity and 
zeal in the service of Government, but, as they all, to a 
man, hold land, it is obviously difficult to carry out any 
measures of reform which may affect their interests in 
the soil. In many parts of India, native officials are 
prohibited from holding land in the districts where they 
serve, but such a prohibition is impossible in Mysore, 
where the practice is universal, and a declaration only 
of the fact is therefore exacted. 

Owing to the numerical strength, the superior talents, 



BRAHMANICAL INFLUENCE.— MISSIONARY DIFFICULTIES. 17 

and the landed influence of the Brahman servants of 
Government, and moreover to the fact that the chief of 
the State has richly endowed and supported the Hindu 
temples of the province, it is not surprising that Mysore 
should be a superstitious priest-ridden country. In 
fact, the Brahmans are all-powerful, and, although some 
of them are excellent men, it is natural that they should 
be tenacious of the authority so long wielded by them- 
selves and their predecessors. 

Let no one suppose that a missionary has only to 
show his face and conquer in Southern India, and that 
native superstitions and false creeds will vanish like a 
mist before the rising sun. The Indian mind is now 
passing through a period of unbelief, despising secretly 
what it professes openly, but as far as ever from adopt- 
ing Christianity in lieu of the old faith of the Hindus. 

The influence of Brahmans being still paramount, it 
Is extremely unlikely, humanly speaking, that they 
should, of their own accord, open a flood-gate which 
would sweep them away into the open ocean of no-caste, 
where they would be lost amidst the myriads of their 
inferiors. The secular education taught in government 
schools seems but to have the effect of sharpening their 
wits, and of supplying them with ready and derisive 
sarcasms on the religion of Europeans. Nor is it an 
easy matter for the ablest missionary to contend w^ith 
and vanquish the astute Brahman of the South, who, 
by equivocation or silence, can effectually baffle his 
adversary, or, by complimenting him on his learning, 
adroitly change the subject. 

According to a Kanarese proverb, 6 Hennu, mannu, 

c 



18 



MYSORE, HISTORICAL AM) DESCRIPTIVE. 



hana,' that is, 6 Woman, land, and money,' are the 
principal objects of desire to man, and it is certain that 
the Brahmans have acquired their full share of the last 
two. In an agricultural country like Mysore, where 
so large a proportion of the revenue comes from the 
land, the local influence of individuals of course depends 
upon the extent of their possessions, and the desire to 
hold land may be said to extend to all classes, far more 
than is the case in Europe. The poor, as well as the 
rich, endeavour to secure land for cultivation, and in 
former days it was even the custom to pay the police 
and the rural levies, either wholly or partially, by 
assignments of land. In times of scarcity, such as 
periodically visit India, when the month's pay of a 
needy official will purchase only a few pounds of grain, 
scarcely sufficient to support the lives of himself and 
his family, the possession of an acre or two of land is a 
valuable addition to his income. 

In the vicinity of Bangalore, owing to the rapid in- 
crease in the population and consequent wealth of the 
place, land, whether for agricultural or building pur- 
poses, has acquired an enhanced value. The soil is 
mostly of a rich red colour, like that of Devonshire, 
and when the rainfall is abundant, is very productive, 
while the tillage is carefully attended to by the ryots, 
who are skilful cultivators, ploughing their lands three 
or four times over, and using manure extensively. It 
is their custom to sow two or three kinds of seed in 
parallel rows in the same field, and one consequently 
sees, growing together, the five-headed ragi, a small 
species of millet, which, when made into pudding, is the 



CROPS.— PREJUDICES OF CULTIVATORS. 19 

staple food of the people ; ballar, a creeping bean with 
a sweet-scented white flower ; and jola, a large kind of 
millet, which grows to a height of several feet. In dry, 
that is, unirrigated land, are also grown various kinds 
of pulses — the castor-oil plant, sesanium, and horse 
gram, which, unlike the gram used in the north of 
India, is a bean and not a pea. A little cotton suffi- 
cient for household consumption is also grown, but the 
people do not appreciate the foreign species, alleging 
that they are not so hardy as the indigenous kind. 

As the several crops that are grown in the same 
field ripen at various periods, a difficulty at once pre- 
sents itself to the introduction of English reaping 
machines, nor are the holdings of the ryots sufficiently 
large to admit of their growing the different crops in 
separate fields. They prefer to have, if possible, a 
little of everything, and cling fondly to the methods of 
cultivation pursued by their forefathers, whose pre- 
judices they hold in the utmost respect. The most 
splendid shower of rain at the driest season of the 
year, when it is urgently wanted for ploughing pur- 
poses, will not induce the ryot to take his bullocks to 
the field on a Monday. 

At a trial made some years ago of English reaping 
instruments, ploughs, and threshing machines, the 
natives objected to both the former, • the reaping 
machines being useless for the reason above given, 
while the ploughs were not considered light enough 
for the bullocks of the Mysore cultivators. The 
objection to the threshing machines, which were, in 
other respects, admired, was the heavy cost, and, unless 

c 2 



20 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

they can be made at an outlay to the ryot of 21. or 3/., 
it is unlikely that they will ever be extensively used 
in India. 

In land irrigated by tanks, or artificial reservoirs, 
with which Bangalore is abundantly supplied, and 
which number more than 20,000 in the whole pro- 
vince, paddy of several kinds, 1 sugar-cane, and mulberry 
are grown, together with betel-leaf, cocoa-nuts, plan- 
tains, and the betel-nut tree, the fruit of which, 
however, is of inferior quality, compared with that of 
the western districts. 

Wells are abundant round Bangalore, water being 
near the surface in all the valleys, and a great variety 
of vegetables is raised in the land thus irrigated. The 
well chiefly used is the rude Yatam or Pekotta, con- 
sisting simply of a fulcrum stem, with a cross stem, and 
a drawing rod. The water is raised from the well by 
one person standing on the cross stem, and emptied 
into the field by another. Vegetables are brought to 
the markets daily for sale, as also strawberries and 
apples, which, at certain seasons, are of excellent 
quality, and yield a handsome profit to the gardeners. 

A great proportion of the Bangalore ryots are by 
caste Wokkaligaru, Kunbis, Eeddis, and Tigalaru, the 
last being gardeners of Tamil origin. It may be 
remarked, however, that all classes hold land, and 
know something of agriculture. 

The cultivators, as a body, in the neighbourhood of 
Bangalore, are well off, and both they and their wives, 
when they visit the city on fair- days, make a show 

1 More than twenty varieties exist. 



MYSORE RYOTS. — VILLAGE LIFE. 



21 



of their wealth, in truly oriental style, by wearing 
jewellery and bangles. There is a good deal of sturdi- 
ness in the Mysore ryot, who is not slow to speak 
his mind, if his interests are affected, presenting in this 
respect a remarkable contrast to the subservient and 
cringing Bengali. Some attempts have been made to 
impart a little education to him by the formation of 
schools within small circles, but he is not fond of 
learning, and thinks that his children will neglect the 
plough for their books. If his crops are good, and 
the government officials keep aloof, he is perfectly 
happy, nor has the spread of education as yet affected 
greatly the original constitution of the village com- 
munities, which are complete little worlds in them- 
selves. 

In the phrase 4 bara baloti,' or the twelve professions, 
is comprised all that is essential to village life ; but 
although twelve is the recognised number, the details 
vary occasionally, 1 while the Government takes no note 
of any of the village officials, except the following : — 
1. Gauda orPatel; 2. Shanabhog; 3. Toti; 4. Talari; 
5. Nirganti. Of these the Gauda is the head-man of 
the community, and the channel of communication 
with Government, being responsible for the collection 
of the revenue. The Gaudas are of various castes, 
but are scarcely ever Brahmans, except where the 

1 Ordinarily the following comprise the Barabaloti : — 

1. Gauda. 7. Carpenter. 

2. Shanabhog. 8. Potter. 

3. Toti. 9. Currier. 

4. Talari. 10. Barber. 

5. Nirganti. 11. Washerman. 

6. Ironsmith. 12. Priest. 



22 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

original head-men have disappeared, and their autho- 
rity has been usurped by the Shanabhogs. The latter 
are always Brahmans, and as they keep the village 
accounts, and have much influence in assessing the 
land, they often fleece the people and defraud the 
Government, being alike avaricious and untrustworthy. 
Although nominally holding their land and perquisites 
at the pleasure of the State, it is no uncommon cir- 
cumstance for a Shanabhog to partition by will among 
his family his official emoluments, and the disputes 
that arise about the succession to this lucrative post 
give more trouble to the revenue officers than any 
other class of cases. 

The Toti is a village servant who performs various 
menial offices. The Talari is the watchman, who 
guards the crops, conveys messages for the head-man 
and accountant, and assists them in carrying the revenue 
collections to the Government treasury. The Mrganti 
(from 6 niru,' water, and 4 gante,' to measure) distributes 
to the cultivators the water of the tanks, it being his 
special duty to work the sluices, and to provide against 
mishap to these important means of irrigation. In the 
case of large tanks, there are three or four of these 
useful functionaries, on whose efficient discharge of 
their work much of the prosperity of a village depends. 

Some of the Mysore tanks are of great age and of 
considerable size, that is, probably 300 years old, and 
10 miles round. As the country is generally undu- 
lating, and intersected by numerous valleys, threaded 
by natural watercourses, it occurred to the natives, 
many centuries ago, to dam up the supply thus fur- 



TANKS OF MYSORE. 



23 



nished, in order to irrigate their fields in the dry- 
season, and, in this way, as population increased, and 
additional land was brought under the plough, a chain 
of such tanks was formed, gradually increasing in size 
and capacity as the line was prolonged. In many 
instances, advantage has been taken of gorges in the 
hills, to throw up colossal embankments, which have 
withstood, with fair success, the floods of centuries ; 
but, as a general rule, the tanks of Mysore are mutually 
dependent works, situated in the same catchment basin. 
This close dependence upon one another admits of 
every reservoir in the chain receiving the surplus 
escape water of the work immediately above it, so 
that there is no wastage ; but, on the other hand, should 
the annual upkeep be neglected, the larger tanks are 
subject to great risk from the sudden breaching, during 
high floods, of those higher up in the line. 

From the same cause the railway, which forms, as it 
were, a vast embankment over the face of the country, 
and which, if not amply furnished with sufficient water- 
way at numerous points, has the effect of arresting the 
free discharge of the accumulated surface drainage, is 
much endangered in the event of great tanks in its 
neighbourhood giving way after continuous and heavy 
rain. 

The embankments of first-class tanks are more than 
a mile in length, fifty feet wide, and as much in height, 
with sluices at either end, and immense escape-weirs, 
solidly constructed of large stones. The embankment 
is pierced by a culvert, which in some instances, is of 
such a size as to admit of a man creeping through it, 



24 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AM) DESCRIPTIVE. 

and on either side of the embankment is a sluice, that 
in the water being worked with a plug which regulates 
the discharge, while from that on the other side the 
irrigation channels are taken which supply water to 
the fields. A tank, when full, is said to contain six 
months' supply, and, taking this as a maximum, the 
people reckon the water stored after each fall of rain 
at one, two, or three months' supply, as the case may 
be, fifteen days being the minimum. When the smaller 
tanks, either from want of rain, or from some defect, 
temporarily run dry, Bengal gram is commonly 
planted in the bed, Government taking a share of the 
produce. It often happens, however, that so much 
silt has been deposited in the tanks, that their repair is 
impracticable. 

At Hosakote, in the Bangalore district, is one. of the 
largest reservoirs in the province, receiving the drain- 
age of many square miles of country, and having below 
it many hundred kandies of rice-land. A kandy of 
irrigated land is about two acres in extent, twenty 
kudus (koodoos), of 500 square yards each, making a 
kandy. In dry or unirrigated land the kandy is also 
divided into twenty kudus, but each kudu contains 
3,200 square yards, or about two-thirds of an acre. 
The term kandi, or khanduga in Kanarese, signifies the 
extent of ground requiring a kandy-weight of seed to 
sow it. 

On land paying a fixed money assessment the Govern- 
ment demand is called the Kandayam, and is roughly 
estimated at one-third of the gross produce ; but the 
greatest inequalities now exist, owing to the roguery 



BOMBAY SURVEY. — PROFIT OX LAKD. 



25 



and favouritism practised by the minor government 
officials. These are in course of rectification by the 
survey department now at work in the district accord- 
ing to the Bombay system, the only settlement in 
India of which it can be said that the Government 
revenue always increases under it, that waste land is 
invariably taken up for cultivation, and that the assess- 
ments never break down. The average rental payable 
to Government on irrigated land of good quality near 
Bangalore may be said to be twelve shillings an acre. 
Deducting the cost of ploughs, cattle, and labor, a 
handsome profit remains on the cultivation of irrigated 
land ; 1 but this varies greatly in ail parts of the coun- 
try, with reference to the quantity of water available, 
the price of labour and stock, and the proximity of 
markets. Land under irrigation channels taken from 
rivers is, of course, more remunerative than that under 
tanks, the water supply being more certain ; but all 
wet land, as it is called, is coveted, and its possession 
is frequently a bone of contention. 

As in other parts of India, no proprietory right was 
understood to be vested in the holders of unirrigated 
land. This may appear strange, as tank or garden 
land was acknowledged to be saleable by the person in 

1 The value of the out-turn of a kandi, or two acres, of irrigated land, 
is, on an average, from £8 to £12, from which, deducting the rental at 
£1 4s., and the cost of labour, cattle, and manure at £2 6s., or a total of 
£3 10s., there remains a profit of from £4 10s. to £8 10s., or from £2 5s. 
to £4 5s. an acre. 

The value of the out-turn of a kandi, or thirteen acres, of unirrigated 
land, in a good season, may be estimated at from £15 to £20, the expen- 
diture being about £3 10s., leaving a profit of from £11 10s. to £16 10s., 
or from 18s. to £1 5s. an acre ; but if the rainfall is irregular or deficient, 
little remains to the cultivator's credit. 



26 



MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



possession; but in the case of the former, the State 
itself was regarded as the proprietor, and the occu- 
pants as yearly tenants-at-will. Acting on this prin- 
ciple, the Government leased out whole villages to 
favoured individuals, either officials, or courtiers, or in- 
fluential head-men. The Mahrattas, during their ascen- 
dancy in Mysore, appointed Desmukhs and Despandes, 
who were answerable for the revenue of certain limited 
tracts of country ; but these were swept away during 
Musalman rule, and Faujdars, or divisional officers, took 
their place. 

The late Maharajd revived the evil practice of leas- 
ing out circles of country to the highest bidder, and 
in so doing ruined the province, and brought about 
his own downfall. Since 1831, every cultivator has 
had his lease, which for many years was annually re- 
newed ; but of late, leases have been confirmed for 
five years. The Bombay system of settlement, now 
being carried out in Mysore, gives leases of thirty years' 
duration, so that, while the ryot acquires a proprietory 
right, and a wide margin of profit, on payment of an 
easy rent, the State, on the expiry of the term of the 
lease, is entitled to raise the rent, should increased 
prices and the enhanced value of land warrant this 
being done. 

Under the Bombay system of settlement, the Govern- 
ment receives only the value of from one quarter to 
one-sixth of the gross produce, and the assessments are 
therefore lighter than those of Upper India, where one- 
third of the gross produce is usually paid ; but, on the 
other hand, the Bombay settlement-officer assesses all 



SILKWORMS —HILLY COUNTRY . 



27 



the culturable waste land of a village, and leaves but a 
limited area free for grazing purposes. 

Among the more profitable crops grown under tanks 
is mulberry. The introduction of silkworms into Mysore 
is attributed to Tippu Sultan, and is one of the few be- 
nevolent measures for which he can take credit. During 
the last eighty years considerable attention has been paid 
to rearing silkworms by the Musalman population of the 
Bangalore and Mysore districts, this branch of industry 
being very remunerative till recently, when the same 
disease which attacked the silkworms of Europe showed 
itself in those of Mysore, and the out-turn of silk began 
to decline sensibly. Several attempts to resuscitate it 
were made by an enterprising Italian firm, who received 
every encouragement from the State ; but. although car- 
toons of Japanese and Chinese silkworms' eggs were 
twice imported at considerable cost, and distributed 
gratis to various localities, these efforts did not meet 
with success, and the silk trade still languishes. The 
Bangalore district used to produce 4,000 maunds 
(24 pounds = 1 maund), but the out-turn is now much 
smaller, nor will the trade revive till a change occurs 
in those climatic causes which seem to affect the vitality 
of the silkworm. 

The central and eastern portions of the Bangalore 
district do not contain any hills of magnitude, and 
though the surface is undulating, the country is gene- 
rally open ; but in the sub-division of Kanakanhalh to 
the south, rugged hills and deep jungle mark the course 
of the river Kaveri, where it forms the boundary of the 
district. The western sub-divisions are covered with 



28 MYSORE," HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

hills, extending north and south of Savandrug, pre- 
senting highly picturesque scenery. 

The most remarkable of these mountains is a hill 
called Sivaganga, about thirty miles from Bangalore, 
sacred in the eyes of Hindus who profess the Saiva 
faith, the reverence paid to it being probably due to 
its peculiar form, which, when viewed from the north, 
resembles the 4 lingam,' or emblem of the god Siva. 
The hill is 4,400 feet above the sea, and is capped by 
a summit which, on one side, overhangs the rock below 
in the shape of a pent-roof. Many years ago, five silver 
bells were, at great risk, suspended under this project- 
ing point, in honor of the god ; but it is said that they 
were adroitly stolen afterwards by the man who hung 
them up, iron bells being substituted for them. There 
is a fine view from the top of Sivaganga, which is fre- 
quented by crowds of pilgrims at certain periods of the 
year. 

The only towns of interest in the Bangalore district, 
besides Bangalore itself, are Devanhalli, where Haidar 
Ali first distinguished himself as a soldier, and where 
his son, Tippu Sultan, was born, and Chennapatam. At 
the latter place are two tombs of some elegance, one 
erected in memory of Akil Shah Kadiri, the religious 
preceptor of the usurper ; and the other in honour of 
Sayad Ibrahim, the Commandant of Bangalore, who 
obtained from the British Government signal marks of 
favour, owing to the humanity shown by him to English 
prisoners who fell into his hands during the wars with 
his master Tippu. 

There are no temples of special beauty in the dis- 



LANGUAGES IN USE.— TOOMKOOE. 



29 



trict, though those at Alsur, Magadi, Sivaganga, and 
Begur are not without interest. In all of these, how- 
ever, the carvings are inferior to those in the temples 
of the western districts, and no ancient inscriptions have 
been found, except at Begur, whence a valuable stone 
slab has been transferred to the museum at Bangalore. 

The language spoken by the vast majority of the 
people of Bangalore, as well as of the other districts of 
the province, is Kanarese, and Mysore is emphatically 
the Karnatic in an etymological sense. Kanarese is 
spoken with the greatest purity at Mysore, the capital. 
In the hill districts to the west, the dialect contains 
many words and phrases peculiar to the Hale Kannadi, 
or old Kanarese, while the writing differs slightly from 
that in common use. Twenty miles eastward of Ban- 
galore, Telugu begins to prevail in lieu of Kanarese, 
and is generally spoken in the Kolar district. 

Musalmans ordinarily converse in Hindusthani, and 
the various Hindu sects, in their domestic privacy, make 
use of their mother tongue — that is, the language spoken 
by their ancestors, whether the latter were natives of 
Mysore, or emigrants from countries where Tamil, 
Telugu, or Mahratta is the vernacular. 

Kanarese is the official language of the province, and 
is therefore used in all public documents, though at 
one time Mahratta took its place ; and in the days of 
the Musalman usurpers, Persian prevailed. 

TOOMKOOR (TumMr). 

The district of Toomkoor contains an area of 2,766 
square miles, a population of 492,000, and yields a 



30 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



revenue of 115,000/. It forms the watershed between 
the Mysore affluents of the river Krishna on the north, 
and those of the Kaveri on the south, the chief town, 
of the same name, being on the high road from Banga- 
lore to Bombay. Parts of the district are highly pictu- 
resque, having a park-like appearance, wooded glades 
and gently sloping hills being characteristic of some of 
the sub-divisions. In its agricultural features it does 
not differ generally from the Bangalore district, but 
cocoa-nut trees are grown in a peculiar manner in dry 
land. The trees are planted ten or twelve yards apart, 
and are watered till they are four years old, when they 
are left to depend upon the rainfall, and produce 
excellent fruit up to the tenth year of growth. Not- 
withstanding the height of the trees, the shade renders 
it impossible to grow any cereals beneath them. 

There are two drugs of some celebrity in this district, 
namely, Devaraidrug, which, being only ten miles from 
Toomkoor, forms a readily accessible sanatarium for the 
residents of that station, its elevation of 4,000 feet 
making it a most agreeable place of retreat in the 
summer months. The other drug is called Madagiri, 
and is one of the most difficult of ascent of all the 
strongholds in the country. This is owing to the slip- 
pery surface of the rock and its great steepness, while 
to the natural difficulties have been added several forti- 
fied gateways and high walls, stretching over the side 
of the mountain, so that, if defended by a resolute 
garrison, the position must, in former days, have been 
impregnable. On the top of the drug, at an altitude 
of 3,900 feet, there is a good supply of water. Many 



DRY CLIMATE— BETEL-NUT TRADE. 



31 



of these hil] forts were furnished with cannon, which 
have now, however, been burst by an officer of the 
ordnance department, specially deputed for the purpose. 
Some of the smaller guns were found to be loaded, and 
owing to the dryness of the climate, the powder was 
still serviceable. Indeed, a small brass gun, which was 
not known to be loaded, suddenly burst when prepara- 
tions were being made to melt it, and the discharge 
killed a man. This gun was supposed to have been 
loaded more than sixty years ago, in the time of Tippu 
Sultan. It was also found, on experiment, that rockets 
of the same period, which were discovered in another 
fort, were quite serviceable. 

There are only a few places of note in the district 
besides Toomkoor. Of these, Sira was formerly a place 
of importance, and the head-quarters of the Musalman 
Subadar ; but, although occupied for some time by British 
troops after the fall of Seringapatam, it was found 
necessary to abandon it, owing to the prevalence of 
fever, which, in this part of the country, is of a serious 
type. In its fine mosques, and its numerous ruins, it 
shows signs of its former prestige. 

Tipatur is of some note as one of the chief depots to 
which is brought the betel-nut raised in the hill districts 
of the west, to be mentioned hereafter. This traffic is 
one of the most lucrative of the country, the agricul- 
turists being entirely in the hands of the traders, who 
hire gangs of Lambadis and Korchars, wandering tribes, 
who, at the proper season, take their cattle and donkies 
into the hills, and carry the betel-nut to Tipatur and 
other emporiums, whence it is despatched to Arcot, 



32 



MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



Madras, and other places, where this luxury is highly 
prized. 

Kunigal was formerly the remount depot of the 
Madras Government, and has capital paddocks and 
abundant grass, owing to the proximity of a tank of the 
first class, but the place is unhealthy, and, since its aban- 
donment as a depot, has dwindled in importance, though 
it is now the breeding-place of the Mysore Horse, and 
is also one of the principal spots where silkworms are 
reared. It has been supposed that the carelessness of 
those who tend the worms in disposing of the refuse 
has generated sickness, but the necessity of cleanliness 
is not more apparent to the people of this town than to 
those of an adjoining one, who, being interdicted by 
the local board from making a cloaca maxima of the 
fort ditch, resented this invasion of their former privi- 
leges, and sent in a petition to the highest authority 
requesting that traditionary usage might be respected. 

A considerable portion of Toomkoor is covered with 
hills, sienite, composed of quartz, felspar, hornblende, 
and mica, being the main formation. In some parts of 
the district iron is worked extensively in a rude fashion, 
but the most curious mineral product is a fine black 
hornblende, hewn out of a rock called the Karikal Gudda, 
or Blackstone Hill, whence were conveyed to Seringa- 
patam the beautiful polished pillars which adorned 
Tippu's palace and Haiclar Ali's tomb, and from which 
also was extracted the material of many of the works 
of art to be seen in the numerous Hindu temples of 
the country. 



KOLAR.— ORIGIN OF THE TOWS. 



33 



KOLAR. 

The Kolar district has an area of 2,281 square miles, 
a population of 479,000, and a revenue of 121,000/. It 
is noted for the number of its tanks, there being 4,274 
of these useful reservoirs, some of them of large size. 1 
The country is in parts very fertile, producing, besides 
sugar-cane, rice, and other ordinary crops, good potatoes, 
and opium to a small extent. The high road to Madras 
formerly ran through the district, the southern portion 
of which is now intersected by the railway as a sub- 
stitute, but the old route is still much used by pilgrims 
proceeding to the famous shrine of Tirupati in North 
Arcot, a spot held so sacred that it is said never to have 
been desecrated by the steps of Europeans, in which 
respect it is perhaps unique among the places of pil- 
grimage of India, while the fact evidences the great 
toleration and consideration towards the Hindus of the 
British Government. 

Kolar is still a town of importance, having a popula- 
tion of more than 10,000, and is said to have been 
named after a hind named Kolla, who discovered a 
large hidden treasure, which his master made use of to 
ingratiate himself with the Pennakonda Eajas, by whose 
permission he founded the town. Another tradition 
asserts that it was founded during the reign of the Chola 
kings, in the first century a.d. 

The legend of a buried treasure giving wealth and 

1 The cultivated area under the 4,274 tanks comprises 107,382 acres, 
yielding a revenue of £83,629 yearly. In many cases the irrigated area 
exceeds 1,000 acres. 



34 MYSORE, HISTORICAL ANT) DESCRIPTIVE. 



status to the lucky finder is, not unnaturally, frequently 
found connected with the history of Oriental places, but 
another kind of tradition is less common. The latter 
is to the effect that a certain prince was out hunting, 
when his dogs pursued a hare, which turned upon its 
enemies and chased them instead. The construction 
put upon so strange a circumstance by the prince was 
that the soil where it took place must be male soil 
(gand bhumi), that is, land of peculiar virtue, and there- 
fore well fitted for building a fort on, and the tradition 
invariably ends by the hunter prince at once setting to 
work in erecting a stronghold, by means of which he 
succeeds in subduing all the country around. This 
legend is often met with in Mysore, and always in 
nearly the same words. 

Three miles from Kolar is the Satsringa, or Hundred- 
headed hill, a fine mountain 4,000 feet high, of some- 
what fantastic shape, on the summit of which are 
four or five villages with fertile land attached. The 
fine spring which is seen issuing from the Antra-Ganga 
temple is reputed to be the real Ganga, brought to the 
place by the deity to save a favored devotee from the 
trouble of proceeding to bathe in the genuine sacred 
stream. On the lofty hill dwelt the famous Eishi, or 
ascetic Jamadagni, who fell desperately in love with 
Eenuka, daughter of a Eaja and mother of the celebrated 
Parsuram, by which connection the Eishi lost all the 
merit of his previous devotions. His chaste wife, being 
unjustly suspected of infidelity, was slain by one of her 
sons, at the instigation of his father, who, in his turn, 
was murdered by the Kshatriyas for this foul deed. Par- 



KOLAR TOMBS.— P ALEGARS. —NAISHDIDRUG-. 35 

suram avenged his father's death by exterminating all 
the warrior tribe of Kshatriyas. 

At Kolar is the mausoleum of Fateh Muhammad, 
father of Haidar Ali, who was born at Budikote, seven 
miles off, that place and the vicinity having been 
held by Fateh Muhammad on a service tenure. Mu- 
hammad Ali, grandfather of Haidar Ah, with other 
members of the family, was buried in the same tomb, 
wdiich is kept in repair at the cost of Government, and 
is a rather handsome structure. 

A considerable portion of the Kolar district was, 
prior to the usurpation of Haidar Ali, held by petty 
chiefs called Palegars (from Paliam, a subdivision of 
territory), who, in course of time, contrived to seize 
tracts of country yielding a revenue of from 5,0 001. to 
30,000/., according to their respective prowess and 
daring. These small barons generally bore the title of 
Naik or Nayaka, and were mostly of Telugu origin, 
having settled in Mysore within the last 4 or 500 
years, after the downfall of the Vijayanagar andPenna- 
konda dynasties. They placed their main reliance 
upon the strong hill fortresses which stud the country, 
but frequently preferred residing in the more civilised 
places adjacent to the drugs. 

Among the most noted of the hill fastnesses is 
Nandidrug, a grand mountain 4,800 feet above the 
sea, and about thirty-five miles due north of Bangalore ; 
from the top of which 300 of the tanks of the country 
are visible. This celebrated rock is nearly precipitous 
on all sides except the west, from which direction it 
was assaulted in 1791 by Lord Cornwallis's army, and 

3) 2 



36 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



captured, after a gallant defence by the commandant, 
Lutf AliBeg, oneofTippu's officers. Numerous marks 
of the round shot fired from the English guns are still 
to be seen in the walls. The residence of the Killadar, 
or commandant, is still preserved, and as the summit of 
the hill offered good sites for building, several houses 
have been erected, the place -affording an agreeable 
sanitarium during the hot months of March, April, and 
May. There is a fine reservoir of water, and a good 
deal of wood on the hill, which is crowned by a temple 
sacred to Nandi. The bold bluff side of the mountain 
on this face is terminated by an overhanging mass, 
commonly called Tippu's Kock, from a tradition (of 
which, however, there is no proof) that he used to 
order prisoners to be hurled over it. There are two 
steep ascents from the plains, formed of flagged path- 
ways, to the main gateways, besides a more difficult 
climb from the east to a small postern, but these were 
commanded by the guns of the fort, and were virtually 
impracticable, and the assault of the English force took 
place therefore on the western side, notwithstanding 
that this was protected by a double line of fortifications. 
The country around is covered by hills to the east and 
the north, in which latter direction there is a fine 
range extending to the frontier of the provinces, but 
pierced at intervals by narrow gorges, called locally 
Kanives, through which, prior to the formation of 
roads by British officers, the trade of the country found 
outlets from the westward. One of the Madras regi- 
ments, the 36th Native Infantry, was raised near 
Nandidrug in 1800, and bears the Dame of the Nandi 



CHIKKA BALAPUR. — ITS P ALEGAR. 



37 



Battalion, while one still sees, at the foot of the hill, 
the square where the corps was located, remains of 
houses, and a graveyard. 

The adjacent town of Chikka Balapur is probably 
the healthiest place in the whole Mysore country, and, 
had it not been in a somewhat difficult country, and 
too far off the main road from Madras to Mysore, it 
would probably have been selected, in preference to 
Bangalore, as the most fitting station for European 
troops. It is a large town with a thriving trade, and 
an abundant supply of water. Indeed, it was at one 
time contemplated to furnish Bangalore with water 
from the neighbourhood of Nandidrug, the foot of the 
hill being 200 feet higher than Bangalore, but the 
project fell to the ground, as the contour line would 
have doubled the direct distance from that station, and 
the undertaking would have been costly, while a closer 
investigation showed the practicability of providing 
the water required from elevated ground adjacent to 
the town. 

The fief of Chikka Balapur was founded by Mare 
Gauda, son of Male Bhaira Gauda, about the year 1447, 
and seems to have been a dependency of the Penna- 
konda Eajas, who were overthrown by the Mahrattas. 
Ninth in descent from the founder was Chikkappa 
Gauda, in whose time Haidar Ali reduced the Paliam, 
and took possession of Nandidrug, the stronghold of 
the Palegar. The chief is said to have held a tract 
yielding an income of 30,000/., but the family were 
reduced to the position of pensioners, in which they 
still remain. Bamaswami Naik rendered aid to the 



38 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

British Government during the wars with Tippu Sultan 
in 1792 and 1799, and seems in consequence to have 
expected his restoration to his hereditary possessions, 
an anticipation which was however never realised. 

Another chiefship of local importance was that of 
Gumanaik Paliam, founded by Guma Naik and Laka 
Naik about the year 1400. These Palegars were by 
caste Yadikal, and belonged to the Kumbi race, in 
which tribe they exercised sacerdotal fuuctions, which 
gave them considerable influence. Narsimma Naik, 
ninth in descent from Guma Naik, was, however, dis- 
possessed by Haidar Ali, and the chiefs, who formerly 
held a territory yielding 10,000/., sank into the com- 
parative insignificance of stipendiaries. They are still 
much respected by the people of the country, which is 
a hilly and difficult tract, affording a refuge to gang- 
robbers, who infest the borders of Mysore and the 
adjoining district of Kadapa in the Madras presi- 
dency. 

The greater portion of the population of the Kolar 
district speak Telugu, which has, however, of late 
years been invaded by Kanarese, the language in 
general use in Mysore territory. Both are written in 
the same character, though a few letters differ in the 
two tongues, which diverge, however, radically more 
than Italian from Spanish. Telugu is far more melo- 
dious than Kanarese, and is probably spoken by three 
times as many people. In great stations, such as Ban- 
galore, both languages are currently spoken, as well as 
Tamil, the speech of the people of Madras, who, either 
as officials, or as menial servants, are found in Mysore 



LANGUAGES SPOKEN.— KANARESE. 



39 



in great numbers. When to these tongues are added 
Hindusthani, the favourite colloquial of all Musahnans, 
and English, which is now spoken by many educated 
persons, and by most of the official community, it 
will be apparent how wide a linguistic knowledge is 
needed to comprehend the speech and habits of a 
population comprising such various elements. In this 
respect, native officials have a great advantage, as it 
rarely happens that Europeans are sufficiently con- 
versant with the vernacular laDguages to speak and 
understand more than a little Kanarese and Hindus- 
thani. 

Within the last few years the study of Kanarese 
has been greatly facilitated by the Mysore state, 
educational works having been printed and circulated 
in large numbers throughout the province. To the 
Wesleyan community much credit is due for their 
exertions in type-founding and printing useful books, 
while the press of the Catholic mission has also pro- 
duced several elementary books, as well as treatises 
of a religious character. As it is hopeless to sub- 
stitute English for the languages of the country, it is 
evidently desirable to foster as far as practicable the 
latter, and to supersede indigenous works of an ob- 
jectionable character by others in which all the best 
features of modern civilisation and science are pre- 
served. 

More than one-quarter of the population of the 
Kolar district are Vokkaligaru, a caste exclusively em- 
ployed in agriculture, and numbering many branches, 
the most remarkable of which are the Marasu Vok- 



40 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

kaligaru, who have the strange custom of amputating 
the first joint of the ring-finger of their daughters in 
honour of their deity. 

The shepherd caste, called Kurubaru, worship the 
god Birappa, of whose feast the following amusing 
account is given by a native writer. 

6 Eight days before the feast, the priest must get his 
head shaved, bathe himself, and take but one meal a 
day for eight days. On the feast day, he worships the 
god in the temple, and then comes out. In the court, 
there is a stone pillar, like a temple lamp-post. Com- 
ing to this, he kneels down before the idol, shuts his 
eyes, and rests on his hands and knees. Then all the 
ryots who have come to the festival bring cocoa-nuts, 
and going up to the pillar where the priest is kneeling, 
press one upon another, crying, "I am first, I am 
first." Then ten of the most respectable people come 
out, and take the cocoa-nuts which the people have 
brought into their own hands. Four others, strong 
men, stand near the priest, to whom the elders hand 
the cocoa-nuts, which they break on the head of the 
priest, who sits on his hands and knees before Bir- 
appa, with his eyes shut, holding out his shaven head, 
his body being naked, except a cloth round the waist. 
There he sits, till great heaps of cocoa-nut fragments 
are piled up as high as an elephant on both sides of 
him. Though so many nuts are dashed upon his bare 
skull, the priest feels no pain, does not utter a sound, 
and never cries " ap-pap-pa ! ay-yo ! Kuy-yo ! mor- 
ro ! " but sits kneeling, with his hands before him, 
holding out his head for the nuts to be broken upon.' 



BRAHMAjSICAL sects. 



41 



Among a people where such rude customs prevail, 
it may easily be supposed that superstition is rife, and 
that Brahmans are held in great respect. As in other 
parts of the province, they are numerous, forming 
probably nearly a tenth of the whole population. They 
are divided into the indigenous Kanarese Brahmans, 
and those of Mahratta, Tamil, or Telugu origin. 

In respect to religious tenets, most Brahmans belong 
to one or other of three schools, namely, Smarta, 
Madwa, and Sri Yaishnava. The Smartas maintain 
the inseparability of the creature from the creator, 
wear cross marks on the forehead, and follow the 
teaching of the Sringiri Swami, the successor of 
Shankarachari. Madwas hold that the creature is 
separate from the creator, wear a vertical mark on 
the forehead, and revere the high priests at Narsipur 
in the Hasan district, and Sosile in Mysore. The Sri 
Vaishnavas consider that the creature is finally ab- 
sorbed into the divine essence. They wear the trident, 
or device of Vishnu on their forehead, but dispute 
among themselves whether this mark should be fur- 
nished with a base or not. Their great apostle, 
Eamanujachari, was a native of Sriparambatur, near 
Madras, but for many years preached his doctrines in 
the Kanarese country, where the Sri Yaishnava tenets 
have many adherents. The high priests of the sect 
reside at Kambakonam and Tinnevelly, but the Eaja's 
family priest, Parakalaswami, who lives near Mysore, 
is considered to be the chief exponent of Sri Yaishnava 
doctrines in the province. 

The Bedars, who are supposed by some people to 



42 



MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



represent the former rulers of the country, are a 
sturdy active race, much addicted to sport, and good 
cragsmen and soldiers. To this caste belonged many 
of the Palegars, or petty barons, who, after the fall of 
the Yijayanagar dynasty, carved out for themselves 
independent principalities, which, however, were swept 
away by Haidar Ali and Tippu. They number in the 
Kolar district about 40,000 souls. 

The crops raised in Kolar are the same as those 
grown in the Bangalore and Toomkoor districts, but 
owing to the abundance of tanks, the proportion of 
irrigated land is far greater, and the crops are finer. 
Betel leaf is one of the most remunerative crops. 
The vine is planted in holes, in furrows, which are 
manured and well watered for several months. The 
cuttings are shaded from the sun by branches of trees, 
quick-growing plants being sown in the intervening 
ridges to support the creepers of the vine when they 
commence to climb. The leaves are of very slow 
growth, but are gathered every two or three months, 
and fetch high prices, while betel-leaf gardens last 
about twenty years. 

In the Betmangalam sub-division of the district, gold 
is found to a limited extent, by washing the alluvial 
soil, in a small range of hills running north and south ; 
but the quantity extracted scarcely repays the labour 
entailed, though at one time it was supposed that the 
field was very productive. A fall account of the 
process followed was given by Lieut. Warren, of the 
Survey Department, so far back as the year 1803. 



MYSORE . — KAVERI. — AjS t EKATS . 



43 



ASHTAGRAM DIVISION.— MYSORE (Maisur). 

The district of Mysore has an area of 3,091 square 
miles, a population of 763,000, and a revenue of 
157,000/. 

It is perhaps the most interesting part of the pro- 
vince, as it contains the ancient capital of the present 
Mysore family, the seats of most of the members of 
royal stock, and some of the finest shrines in the 
country. It is also the most fertile part of the terri- 
tory, owing chiefly to the numerous irrigation channels 
which are taken from the river Kaveri. This cele- 
brated stream, which is, with some reason, held in 
veneration from its size and fertilising qualities, rises in 
Coorg, Tala Kaveri, its source, being a place of great 
sanctity in the eyes of all the Hindus of Southern 
India. The river enters Mysore at Frazerpett, called 
by Tippu Khoshalnagar, but more anciently Nanjraj- 
patan, whence it takes a westerly course through My- 
sore, till it leaves the province at the famous falls of 
Sivasamudram. At convenient intervals, dams, called 
Anekats (from 6 ane,' a dam, and 4 katte,' to build), 
have been thrown across the stream, from which 
channels are taken on one, or frequently on both 
banks. Some of these works were carried out more 
than 300 years ago, during the time of the Anagundi 
kings, who reigned at Vijayanagar in the Bellari dis- 
trict, and, although of ancient date, and liable to be oc- 
casionally breached by floods, they are still magnificent 



44 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



specimens of native engineering. The contour lines 
which the channels follow have been conducted with 
much ingenuity, considering the imperfect implements 
used, at the highest possible level over considerable 
distances — sometimes seventy miles 1 — and all the land 
lying between them and the river benefits by their 
fertilising properties, It has been supposed by some 
talented engineers that, instead of many such dams at 
short intervals, it would be feasible to substitute one 
first-class work, with channels of great length, at a 
somewhat higher level than the existing channels, so 
as to irrigate all the land which is now watered by 
the latter ; but to this is opposed the circumstance that, 
at many points along the river, hills intervene, and 
would obstruct the prolongation of the channels, while, 
at the same time, small streams and subsidiary surface 
drainage, which now tend to augment the main stream, 
would probably remain unutilised. There can be no 
doubt, however, that, as in the case of the tanks of 
the country, the irrigation channels were not con- 
structed on any uniform system, and that they owe 
their existence to various influential persons, who sought 
to benefit their own lands by constructing them, with- 
out much regard for the interests of others above or 
below them. One of them, near Salagram, called the 
Alal Katte, is 800 yards across, and is so solidly built 
that it is said never to have needed repair. As it 
straggles across the stream in a very irregular manner, 
it would not be regarded by modern engineers as a 

1 The Chikka Devarai Sagar channel is seventy-two miles long, and 
irrigates more than 10,000 acres of land, paying a revenue of £7,200. 



IRRIGATION CHANNELS. 



45 



successful work, although it has stood fairly the test of 
time. 

It would be wearisome to give the names and length 
of all the channels, much as they conduce to the pros- 
perity of the country, and it will suffice to say that 
they have now been brought under systematic super- 
vision with a view to economise the supply, to effect 
an equitable distribution of water, and to execute 
thoroughly the requisite annual repairs. A considerable 
portion of the best land under them, and particularly 
of that nearest to the source of water supply, is held 
by Brahmans on rent-free tenure, owing to the lavish 
hand with which the late Eaja of Mysore alienated the 
resources of his country in favor of persons who were, 
but too often, unworthy recipients of his bounty. 

The Kaveri, a few miles below Salagram, precipitates 
itself over a picturesque fall, called the Dhanuskoti, 
and, being joined by the Hemavati river from the 
adjoining district of Hasan, and also by the Laksh- 
mantirth from South Coorg, flows under the walls of 
the renowned Seringapatam fortress. It is then joined 
by the Kabani (which rises in the coffee district of 
Wainad) at Sosile, where the meeting of their waters 
is held sacred, and at length reaches the ancient town 
of Talkad, called in olden time Dalavanpar. A fabulous 
antiquity is given to this place in the local legends, 
and it is not improbable that it was a town of note in 
the days of the Chera dynasty, as it is known that the 
kings of this race flourished in the adjacent districts of 
Koimbator and Salem ; but, in recent times, it has 
attracted attention, owing to a strange story which 



46 



MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



connects it with the Mysore royal family, and which is 
known as the 8 curse of Talkad.' 

It is stated that when the Mysore chiefs were be- 
ginning to subdue the country around them, one of the 
Eajas, in the year Salivahan, 1556, marched against the 
lord of Talkad, whom he defeated and slew in battle, 
seizing his territory and despoiling his family of their 
wealth. His despairing widow, after witnessing the 
slaughter of her husband and the wreck of their home, 
drowned herself in the sacred Kaveri, into which she 
first threw a gold ring, and in doing so pronounced a 
curse against the Mysore House, prophesying that Tal- 
kad should be buried in sand, and that the Eaja's 
dynasty should come to an untimely end by the failure 
of male heirs. The first part of the curse has been 
accomplished, for it is a remarkable fact that the river 
Kaveri has, in the course of years, heaped up immense 
mounds of sand, fifty and sixty feet high, which have 
buried many old temples, and encroached so much on 
the town that it has been found necessary to abandon 
it as the head-quarters of the sub-division. Whether 
the second part of the prediction will be verified re- 
mains to be seen, but it nearly came to pass a few 
years ago ; and it is not surprising that the people of 
the country think with superstitious awe of the widow's 
prophecy, and of her denunciation of the cruelty of the 
Mysore chief. It is to be hoped, however, that the ful- 
filment of the curse was enacted when Haidar Ali 
usurped the sovereignty of the country, and, apparently, 
extinguished for ever the rule of the Hindu princes of 
Mysore. 



SIVASAMUDRAM FALLS AND BRIDGE. 47 

Leaving Talkad, the Kaveri pursues its course till it 
reaches the romantic island of Sivasamudram, famous 
for magnificent falls, over which, the river precipitates 
itself on leaving the Mysore country. This picturesque 
place should be visited in the rainy season, as during 
the winter months, which are ordinarily the most 
healthy in India, fever is rife, owing, it is supposed, to 
the exposure to the sun and air, and the consequent 
disintegration of the large rocks in the river. More- 
over, a better idea of the grandeur of the cataracts can 
be gained when the stream is in flood, though, on the 
other hand, a near approach to them is then more diffi- 
cult. Sivasamudram is said to have been an ancient 
capital, but there is at present no vestige of former 
buildings, except a few ruins, and an inscription near a 
modern temple, which is illegible. It is certain, how- 
ever, that the island had become a dense jungle, and 
that the old bridges which connected it with the main- 
land had become impassable. 

Their repair was undertaken fifty years ago by a 
confidential servant of the Mysore Eesident, named 
Eamaswami Modeliar, who expended several thousand 
pounds on the work, for which he received from the 
British Government the title of ' Janopakar Kam Karta,' 
or, the constructor of a work useful to the people, as 
also an estate of five villages, yielding about 800/. 
yearly. From the Mysore State he received seven vil- 
lages, yielding 900/. yearly, in recognition of his meri- 
torious exertions. The bridges are fine specimens of 
native workmanship, being composed of hewn stone, 
supported on colossal pillars twenty feet high, firmly 



48 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AM) DESCRIPTIVE. 

fixed in the rocks of the river, while they are so con- 
structed as to resist the force of the current during 
high floods, which are truly formidable. The Jagirdar, 
or proprietor, hospitably entertains all visitors to the 
spot, where a convenient residence has been built for 
their accommodation. 

The northern cataract, called the Gangana Chuki, is 
about two miles from the house, and is approached by 
a steep path, leading down from the tomb of Pir 
Ghaib, a Musalman saint, who is supposed to have 
disappeared mysteriously from view at this place. On 
reaching a point about half-way down the fall, one 
sees the stream rushing precipitately over the face of 
a tremendous abyss, and dashing over vast boulders of 
rock in a cloud of foam, till it hurls itself into a deep 
pool below, 300 feet from the summit. The noise 
made by the roar of the waters is deafening, and as 
one's ears are stunned by their loud thunder, so one's 
sight is blinded by the steam of mist which hides from 
view the sacred stream, as it rushes furiously forward 
over great rocks to meet the sister fall below. The 
scenery around is extremely grand, the hills being 
clothed in dense forest, and the solitude of the spot 
lending a picturesque charm to its beauties. 

The southern cataract, called the Bhar Chuki, is 
perhaps even finer, as a far greater volume of water is 
seen from the point of observation, at the foot of a 
flight of difficult steps, which lead down to the stream 
facing the cataract. The fall can be approached from 
the summit, but is difficult of access, and a lady some 
years ago lost her footing, on incautiously nearing the 



SIVASAMUDRAM FALLS. DENSE FORESTS. 49 



verge, and was dashed over the cataract. During the 
rainy season, the river pours over the hill-side in an 
unbroken volume, a quarter of a mile across ; but in 
the dry months it is divided into several distinct falls 
of great splendor, which the tourist can contemplate 
at his ease as he discusses his breakfast on the opposite 
side of the stream. The Bhar Chuki is of less height 
than the Gangana Chuki, and therefore perhaps less 
imposing, but is certainly more lovely, while the whole 
locality leaves an indelible impression on the mind of 
the visitor. 

The whole of the southern side of the Mysore dis- 
trict is girt round by a dense and unhealthy forest, the 
level of the country falling rapidly down to the foot of 
the Nilgiri mountains, which constitute at this point 
the frontier of the province. It is in fact a Terai, 
similar to that at the foot of the Himalaya, and equally 
prejudicial to health, even the wild tribes who reside 
in the jungles showing, by the prevalence among them 
of fever and spleen, the insalubrity of the region. It 
is, however, rich in teak, blackwood, and other valuable 
forest 1 timber, and is consequently precious in the eyes 
of the forest conservator and his assistants, whose duty 
frequently takes them into the most feverish tracts, 
dwelt in only by half-savage Kurubas and Soligas, two 
of the aboriginal races whose destiny it seems to be to 
inhabit a country which is regarded with dread by 
more civilised people. These unfortunate beings, few 

1 Pterocarpus Marsupium (Honne) ; Terminalia Tomentosa (Matti) j 
Hardwickia Binata (Karachi) ; Bassia Latifolia (Hippe) ; Conocarpus 
Latifolia (Dindida) ; and. many others. 

* E 



50 



MYSOEE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



in numbers and uncared-for by their neighbours, are 
the only workmen who can be obtained to fell trees in 
the noisome jungles, where they also collect honey, 
gums, and other forest produce, scared by herds of 
elephants, who dispute with them the lordship of the 
woods. Other animals and birds are rare in these 
dense jungles, although peacocks are occasionally met 
with in flocks in the wooded glades. 

It is not improbable that the skirts of these vast 
forests had formerly a larger population than is now 
met with, as in various places near the Coorg fron- 
tier curious explorers have discovered remains of the 
ancient denizens in the shape of numerous cairns, sup- 
posed to be the burial-places of their race. They are 
commonly called ' Pandava Kallu,' or stones of the 
Pandavas, — everything ancient being connected, in the 
eyes of Hindus, with these heroes ; and in the absence 
of any authentic account of their origin, this assump- 
tion passes muster. They consist of a small chamber, 
enclosed between three or four stone slabs, with a large 
slab on the t^p, and have a general resemblance to the 
Kistvaens of Europe. The rear slab is generally pierced 
*by a circular hole, rather larger than a man's body, 
from which it has been inferred that they were dwelt 
in by the ancient Eishis or Ascetics ; but it may be 
said, in opposition to the theory of their having been 
inhabited, that there is no trace of smoke on the roof. 
On the other hand, if they were burial-places, it is re- 
markable that neither bones, nor jars containing ashes, 
have been found in them, the only relics discovered 
having been empty pots, some of quaint design, a- few 



ANCIENT REMAINS. 



51 



rusty implements, a little ragi seed, and, in one instance, 
a man's jaw. The structures do not face east or west, 
or north or south, but are seen facing all sides. 

About ten miles to the right of the high road from My- 
sore to the Mlgeri hills, is the sacred hill of Gopalswami, 
a picturesque and verdant mountain, 1,500 feet above 
the plains, on which there are eight springs, to which 
mysterious virtues are attributed, the locality, in spite 
of its unhealthiness and the fear of wild beasts, being 
much frequented by pious Hindus. The upper portion 
is surrounded by ancient fortifications, built of immense 
stones, and of great extent, reputed to have been con- 
structed by one Dankana Naik or Dhan Naik, of whose 
palace a few traces are still to be seen, together with 
five massive gateways. Tradition is silent as to the 
history of the chiefs who dwelt here, but it is a curious 
fact that, in many cases in the jungles in the neigh- 
bourhood, tanks long disused are to be seen, while rice, 
called by the natives kad-akki, or forest rice, grows 
wild, being no doubt produced from seed, self-planted 
in land which was once under cultivation. Such deca- 
dence of places once of local note is common in India, 
and everywhere are to be seen the ruins of fortresses 
which in olden time were the only means of upholding 
the power of their possessors. 

Among the most valuable products of the Mysore 
forests is sandal wood, which has, from the earliest 
times, been a royal monopoly, the tree being felled 
and sold exclusively by government agency. It is of 
most capricious growth, being found neither in dense 
forests nor in the open country, but just outside the 

E 2 



52 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

skirts of the heavier jungles, and only in certain loca- 
lities, where it is to be seen in clumps like an orchard, 
or in hedge rows, or growing singly. Attempts to 
rear it from seed have been unsuccessful, and it refuses 
to flourish, except over very limited tracts, of which 
Periapatan is the principal. The tree is of the size of 
an apple tree, with a delicate small leaf, and a large 
black berry when ripe. 

Of late years an attempt has been made to grow 
cinchona on the Bilikalrangama, or white stone moun- 
tain (so called from the appearance of the hill as 
approached from the west), a hill about 4,500 feet 
high, where some of the succirubra species have been 
planted with fair results. The plantation is, however, 
exposed to the depredations of wild elephants, which, 
together with bison and sambre deer, are found in this 
isolated range of hills, which is a favourite resort of 
enthusiastic sportsmen. 

Among the hills in the Mysore district of historical 
celebrity is Kabaldrug, a fortified conical hill of con- 
siderable height, and with precipitous sides, on the 
summit of which many Englishmen are said to have 
sighed away their lives, owing to insufficient food and 
bad water, while prisoners of the savage Tippu. Long 
before his time, Kabaldrug was the state prison of 
offending members of the Mysore family, and it is said 
that one of the Eajas was sent here by a powerful 
minister, to expiate by a slow and fingering death his 
offences against the State. The ascent is somewhat 
hazardous, unless one's shoes are taken off, or goloshes 
worn over them, as the rock is extremely slippery, and 



SEEIjS t GAPATAM. 



53 



the steps, which have been rudely cut on the glassy 
surface at the most perilous points, have been worn 
away and scarcely afford foothold. Goloshes are very 
useful for climbing slippery granite rocks, especially 
when they are covered with dry grass, which, when 
growing on a precipitous mountain side, is difficult to 
walk over with safety. 

Of all the towns in the Mysore district, the greatest 
interest attaches to Seringapatam, as the seat of two 
dynasties, and the scene of combats glorious in the 
annals of the British army. When the Vijayanagar 
princes succeeded to the authority formerly wielded 
by the Jain Eajas of the Belal race, Talkad, which was 
the ancient capital of the latter, and before them of 
the Chera kings, had already been deserted for Dwara- 
samudram, which was destroyed by the Musalman 
invaders. The last of the Eajas took refuge at Tonur, 
where there is a strikingly fine reservoir, called the 
Pearl Tank, constructed several hundred years ago by 
Eamanujachari, the famous Yaishnava teacher. Close 
by, as if erected in contempt of him, is the tomb of 
Shah Salar Masaud Ghazi, a Musalman saint, with the 
date 760 Hijri on it, from which it may be inferred that 
he accompanied the bitter foes of the Hindu people who 
invaded Mysore. 

The growing power of the Vijayanagar chiefs soon 
extinguished the last traces of the Belal race, and 
Seringapatam was selected as the head- quarters of the 
viceroys of the new sovereigns. The tract in the 
vicinity, called the Ashtagram, or the eight towns, was 
granted in the twelfth century by the last of the Belal 



54 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



kings to Eamanujachari. In 1454 a descendant of one 
of his disciples, named Timmana, or Dhannaik, was 
appointed viceroy by the Anagundi sovereign, and 
erected a fort, and a temple dedicated to Sri Eanga, or 
Vishnu, to construct which numerous old Jain temples 
in the neighbourhood were destroyed. 

The site was apparently well selected, being on an 
island, laved on both sides by the sacred Kaveri, a for- 
midable and rocky stream, which, when unbridged, was 
in itself a natural defence. The ancient Hindus always 
evinced a predilection for the banks of great rivers 
as the sites of their capitals, the most conspicuous of 
these being Srinagar in Kashmir, on the Jhilam, Has- 
tinapura, or Delhi, on the Jamuna, Prayag, or Allaha- 
bad, Benares, and Kanauj on the Ganges, Banawasi on 
the Varda, with many others, some of which remain to 
this day. To all appearance, Seringapatam, strong by 
nature and by art, and under the protection of the god 
Vishnu, who gave his name (Sri Eanga) to the place, 
was eminently well chosen. Indeed it was for a 
century the seat of the Anagundi, or Vijayanagar 
deputies, whose authority was implicitly obeyed by all 
the country around, till Eaj Wodiar, the Baron of My- 
sore, raised the standard of revolt in 1609, and seized 
the famous stronghold. 

During the rule of Haidar Ali, this usurper, who was 
alive to the value of so formidable a fortress, strength- 
ened it considerably, as well as the other principal forts 
in his country, and his son Tippu Sultan having called 
in the aid of French engineers, the place was very for- 
midable when besieged by the British army. It could, 

\ 



SEEING AP AT AM. 



55 



indeed, be easily shelled now-a-days by guns placed in 
position on the surrounding hills, and defects may be 
found in the absence of revetenients, and other details ; 
but the gateways are of great solidity, with complicated 
approaches, and the walls are mostly still in good pre- 
servation. In fact, if it were suddenly seized by a rebel 
force at the season when the river is in flood, and if the 
two bridges over it were destroyed, its reduction might 
entail considerable loss, and it is worthy of considera- 
tion whether it would not be advisable to break dowii 
the curtain of the walls at intervals for a length of 100 
yards. The place where our troops crossed the river 
on May 4, 1799, is marked by two cannon buried in 
the ground, and as the breach that was made is still 
visible, and the walls are for the most part intact, a 
lively and accurate idea may be formed of the state of 
things when the memorable assault took place. Inside, 
nearly every vestige of the Muhammadan rulers has 
disappeared, their palaces having been levelled to the 
ground, while the temple of Sri Eanga still stands erect 
as a memorial of the old Hindu dynasty. The town 
now contains barely 7,000 inhabitants, and though less 
unhealthy than it was fifty years ago, is still dreaded 
for its fever, which deters visitors from sleeping 
inside the fort, though their fears on this head are 
somewhat exaggerated. Deserted houses and ruins 
meet the eye at every step, and the vegetation looks 
rank and unwholesome. The prevailing sickness has 
been attributed to the paddy flats in the vicinity of the 
island, as also to the destruction of the sedge or sweet 
flag which grew in the river ; but it is more probable that 



56 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

the real cause of fever is to be sought in the nature of 
the rocks, which, being composed of sienite, become 
disintegrated, and when uncovered by water, and heated 
by the sun, emit a malarious infection, which produces 
the fever so much complained of. 

At a short distance from the fort is the Darya Daulat 
Garden, a pleasure house of Tippu Sultan, which is 
covered with grotesque frescoes of the battles between 
him and Colonel Baillie. In the mimic fight, the latter 
is represented as reclining helplessly in a palankin, 
while Tippu, on horseback, is serenely smelling a 
bouquet of flowers amidst the shooting and stabbing 
which is going on around him. All kinds of strange 
combats are depicted — headless bodies, with the heads 
some inches off on the ground, being a favourite item, 
while the guns which have performed the feat are shown, 
with a stalwart Mysorean holding the portfire. The 
French soldiers in Tippu's service are invariably painted 
with moustaches, while the English have smooth faces, 
save the traditional mutton-chop whiskers. In order to 
perpetuate the memory of the Duke of Wellington, who 
resided for some time in this picturesque abode, Lord 
Dalhousie, when Governor- General, directed the resto- 
ration of the curious paintings which adorn its walls, 
the arabesque interior also having been re-embellished, 
at a total outlay of more than 5,000/. Unfortunately 
this garden house partakes of the unhealthiness of 
the fort, but it is a pleasant place for a mid-day 
picnic. 

At the farther end of the island, in the Lai Bagh, 
repose the remains of our implacable foe, Tippu Sul- 



MAUSOLEUM OF HAIDAR ALI AND TIPPU SULTAN. 57 

tan, who was buried in the mausoleum erected in 
honour of his father, Haidar Ali. It is a handsome 
structure of white marble, with black hornblende pillars, 
somewhat in the fashion of the famous Taj at Agra, but 
less profusely ornamented, and of a poorer design. It 
is kept up at the cost of the British Government, great 
attention being paid to the building and the fine garden 
which surrounds it, whose gloomy cypresses lend a 
sombre charm to the scene. As one stands in the 
tomb, words faintly uttered resound in the lofty dome 
with a mournful sound, attoning the mind to those 
mixed feelings of pride and sympathy which are called 
forth by dwelling on the downfall of one of our direst 
enemies, and by commiseration for his untimely end. 
Till recently, comparatively little attention was paid to 
the monuments of the brave men who fell on our side, 
nor are any of them remarkable. It is a proof of the 
toleration of the British Government that the Musal- 
mans of Seringapatam were permitted to place within 
Tippu's tomb a tablet, which records in glowing and 
fanatical verses the death of the zealot. By the process 
called Abj ad, according to which every letter of the 
alphabet has a numerical value, the date of his demise, 
according to the Muhammadan era, is found in the fol- 
lowing expressions : — 6 The light of Islam and the faith 
left this world ; ' ' Tippu became a martyr for the faith 
of Muhammad ; ' 'The sword was lost ; ' 6 The offspring 
of Haidar was a great martyr,' all these phrases produ- 
cing, on adding up the numerical value of the words 
composing them, the year 1213, i.e., 1799. 

The inscription on the tomb of Haidar Ali is of a 



58 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

much more modest character. It is a curious fact that, 
great as was the prestige of the latter, and famous as he 
was, both in war and as an administrator, he is never 
spoken of in the same terms of deep veneration as 
his son Tippu Sultan, shallow and pretentious as was the 
nature of this sovereign. Tippu, however, was an in- 
carnation of Musalman bigotry and intolerance, quali- 
ties which, though they made him abhorred and feared 
by those whom he persecuted, won for him unbounded 
admiration and respect from all true followers of Islam. 
He Was, in fact, in those days, what the Wahabis are 
now, a puritanical observer of the letter of the Muham- 
madan law, and a relentless opponent of those who did 
not belong to his faith. 

The island of Seringapatam belongs to the British 
Government, but is rented by the Maharaja of Mysore 
for 5,000/. yearly, which is more than double its 
present income. When this arrangement was made, 
it was a convenience to the Maharaja to eliminate 
British jurisdiction from a place only nine miles from 
his capital, while the administration of a small island 
far removed from any British District was embarrassing 
to our Government. There is little object now in re- 
taining Seringapatam, the fortress being no longer re- 
quired for political purposes, while the island has been 
for fifty years under Mysore rule. To the Eaja, how- 
ever, at the seat of his ancestors, and as containing a 
famous shrine of his religion, it is of greater value than 
would be represented by a mere calculation of the in- 
come at so many years' purchase. The English Go- 
vernment would, therefore, do well to dispose of it to 



SEAT OF GOVERNMENT. 



59 



him, on the young chief's attaining his majority a few- 
years hence. 

Mysore, the head-quarters of the district, and the 
capital of the province, has a population of 73,000, 
and is, therefore, a considerable place, but is badly situ- 
ated, and were it not for its being the seat of the Sove- 
reign, would soon lose the factitious importance that it 
now possesses. The locality is feverish, and the want 
of an abundant supply of water is a great defect. In 
the time of the celebrated minister, Purnia, an attempt 
was made to bring to the city the water of the Kaveri, 
but although the requisite channel was excavated at an 
immense cost, the project failed, as a sufficient flow 
could not be secured at the only practicable level, and 
recent enquiry by experienced engineers has demon- 
strated the impossibility of success. There are few 
good houses in the town, the majority being constructed 
of wattle and mud, while the Eaja's palace within the 
fort can scarcely be considered worthy of the name. 
It is surrounded on all sides by houses, many of them 
of a mean description, and although there are some fine 
temples hard by, with summits gaily decorated with 
gold, and it is itself a somewhat lofty building, it evi- 
dences little architectural taste or skill. It is to be ob- 
served, however, that when Seringapatam fell, and it was 
determined to erect a residence for the young Hindu 
Eaja Krishnaraj at Mysore, instead of at the former 
place, there was no suitable dwelling ready for him, 
while the minister was compelled, in the financial exi- 
gencies of the State, to exercise a close economy. It is 
not surprising, therefore, that the Eaja's palace should 



60 



MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



be more commodious than elegant, and that, while there 
appears to be plenty of room for all the household and 
establishments, the royal apartments are of a somewhat 
mean character. Notwithstanding that Mysore is a 
place of no antiquity, and that it is occasionally ex- 
tremely unhealthy, the circumstance that it became in 
1799 the capital of the young Eaja led to a petty 
village growing into a large town, with a considerable 
population. This is the more remarkable, as it pos- 
sesses no special trade nor manufacture, its prosperity 
being almost entirely dependent upon the presence of 
the Eaja and his court. 

In the immediate neighbourhood of the town of 
Mysore is Chamundi, a fine hill, 1,000 feet above the 
plains, on which is a temple dedicated to the goddess 
of that name, better known as Kali, the wife of Siva 
She is the hereditary deity of the Eaja's house, and the 
name of Mysore or Maisur is said to be derived from 
the circumstance that she destroyed at this place Ma- 
heshasur, the buffalo-headed demon. The temple built 
on the summit in her honour is greatly venerated by the 
Mysore Eajas, who pay it periodical visits, ascending 
the hill by a flight of rudely-cut steps, two-thirds way 
up which is a colossal basava or bull, sacred to Siva, 
carved out of an immense block of black hornblende, 
by orders of Eaja Dodda Deoraj, two hundred years 
ago. 

It is currently asserted that in the temple, as at 
Kolhapur, and other places where the dark rites of Kali 
were celebrated, human sacrifices were offered in former 
days, and there can be little doubt that the belief in 



TEMPLES OF MYSORE FAMILY. 



61 



their efficacy still lingers in the minds of the people, 
especially in the more secluded parts of the country. 

The temples most revered by the late Maharaja, be- 
sides Chamundi, were those at Chamrajnagar and Nan- 
janagudu. The former town was the birthplace of his 
father, but the temple, though profusely ornamented 
with stone carvings, is not otherwise remarkable. In 
the vicinity of the town, however, there are a few re- 
mains of a place called Manipur, which is said to have 
a high antiquity, having been founded by a son of the 
Panda va Prince Arjuna, in consequence of the Eishi 
K6maharshana having discovered on the site represen- 
tations of two of the gods of the Hindu mythology. 
The city was, it is said, several miles round, but nothing 
is now to be seen, except two or three temples, of 
which the era is uncertain. The belief that one or 
more of the Pandava brothers visited Mysore, as well 
as other parts of Southern India, is universal among all 
natives, and may perhaps be adduced as circumstantial 
evidence in favour of the historical truth of the famous 
epic, the Mahabharata. It is difficult otherwise to ac- 
count for the fact that the people are so familiar with 
the names of the Pandavas, whose exploits and adven- 
tures form a favorite subject of conversation with all 
classes of the community. 

Nanjanagudu was named after the god Siva, in com- 
memoration of his having swallowed poison without 
evil effects arising. The temple is 15 miles from the 
capital on the river Kabani, and is frequented by crowds 
of devotees in March, when a great car-festival is held 
in honour of the god. Though its gold top shines 



62 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

brightly in the sun, and the carvings on it are not 
devoid of merit, the building has the heavy appearance 
usually observable in the temples of Southern India. 
It is handsomely endowed, and when the late Eaja was 
at death's door, consecrated rice was sent to him daily 
from it, in the hope that, by partaking of it, he might 
be cured of his malady. His Highness had, however, 
long suffered from swellings in the neck and legs, ac- 
companied by severe coughing, vomiting, and purging, 
and the Brahmanical specific was of no avail. 

Far more remarkable than Nanajangudi is the ancient 
temple of S6mnathpur, said to have been built by 
Jakanachari, a celebrated architect of the time of the 
Belal Eajas. If the name of the builder is correctly 
given, and, from the near resemblance of the carvings 
on the structure to those on the famous Halibede 
temple, in the Hasan District, there is no apparent 
reason for questioning the fact, the story confirms 
the tradition that the kings of the Belal race conquered 
this part of Mysore, and upset the rule of the Chera 
sovereigns of Talkad, which is only distant a few miles 
from Somnathpur. Vishnu Vardhana, the first of the 
Belal chiefs who abandoned the tenets of the Jain 
faith, previously followed by his forefathers, is asserted 
to have reigned about the year 1016 A.D., so that the 
Somnathpur temple, which was built in his time, is 
ancient. The carvings on the outer face are extremely 
beautiful. The temple stands in the centre of a square 
courtyard, flanked by fifteen compartments on each 
side, which are supported by finely-cut pillars, the 
roofs between each set of pillars and the entrances 



SOMNATHPUK TEMPLE. — ANCIENT GRANTS. 



63 



to the cells being delicately chiselled. At the main 
entrance there is a very large black stone Shasana, 
with a long inscription on it in ancient Kanarese 
characters. The reference in the inscription to Dwara- 
samudrain points clearly to Halibede, the seat of em- 
pire of the Belal kings, but it is difficult to identify the 
name of the bestower of the endowment with that of 
any of the sovereigns of that House. Narsinha 1 is the 
name of the royal donor in the inscription. 

In former days, when paper was unknown, it was 
the custom in Southern India to write all manuscripts 
on palm leaf, but, in the case of grants of land to 
temples, it was more usual to record the gift on copper 
plates, or on stone slabs. The former are generally 6 
inches by 4, written on both sides, and held together 
by a copper ring, on which is stamped the seal of the 
donor, the inscription being either in Sanskrit or 
ancient Kanarese. The stone slabs vary from 7 to 3 
feet in height, and from 3 to 5 feet in width, containing 
fifty or more lines of writing, and looking like huge 
gravestones set on end. They are always found inside, 
or in close proximity to temples, and are religiously 
preserved as the title deeds, on the strength of which 
assignments of land or money are held by the shrines. 

The inscriptions first note the day of the lunar 
month, and the year of the gift, and after a preamble, 
setting forth the glories of the dynasty of the donor, 
and the virtues of the recipient, mention in detail 
the nature of the donation, such as the receipts 

1 A king named Narsinha is mentioned in Brown's ' C} r clic Tables/ p. 5, 
as being a son of Tishnu Vardhana, the date assigned being 1163 a.d. 



64 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND BESCRIFTIVE. 

from irrigated and unirri gated land, hidden treasure, 
all immovable objects, and all that then existed on 
the land, or that might be acquired by self-exertion. 
They invariably end by imprecating curses on those 
who disturb the charity, alleging that a gift to a 
Brahman must be as sacred in the eyes of the sovereign 
as his own sister, and that land given by a stranger for 
pious purposes should be regarded as a mother is re- 
garded. There are hundreds of such grants in the 
Mysore country, and though it is supposed that many 
of those on copper are forgeries, there is little doubt 
that most of those carved on stone are genuine. 

In many cases, the Shasanas are divided into three 
compartments, the lowest representing a struggle for 
supremacy between rival princes, who, mounted on 
elephants and horses, and accompanied by armed hosts, 
are fighting fiercely ; in the centre, the victor is repre- 
sented in heaven, seated on his throne, and attended 
by celestial nymphs ; while in the upper compartment, 
he is seen offering sacrifice to the deity. Between 
the compartments, one generally finds several lines of 
writing, but the attempts hitherto made to decipher 
the more ancient inscriptions of this class have not 
been attended with much success, as the old language 
of the country is known to few, and the writing is 
chiefly in the Grantham or ancient Tamil character. 
It is supposed by some that the Shasanas on which the 
carved figures are found were put up in memory of 
the conqueror on his decease, but little is known of 
them with certainty. 

The most ancient inscriptions appear to be of the 
period of the Kadamba and Haisal or Belal dynasties, 



SUGAR REFINERY. 



65 



and the oldest were perhaps carved one thousand years 
ago, beyond which time history in Mysore does not 
reach with precision. One main cause of the difficulty 
in ascertaining the exact date of any inscription is the 
practice of the Hindus of reckoning by the cycle of 
sixty years, so that, though the name of the year is 
always given, the corresponding year of the Salivahan 
era is frequently omitted. Hindus still cling fondly 
to the cycle, of which the commencing years are 
deemed auspicious and the closing ones unlucky, as 
may be supposed from the phrases ' blood-vomiting,' 
4 bloody-eyed,' 4 wrathful,' and 4 final/ the names of the 
57th, 58th, 59th, and 60th years. The crops are 
asserted to be always deficient in these latter years, as 
was certainly the case at the close of the last cycle in 
1866-67, and no orthodox Hindu will contract a mar- 
riage in the final year. 

A few miles from Mysore is one of the largest 
establishments in India for refining sugar. The cane, 
of which the jaggory is used for the purpose, is grown 
chiefly near Seringapatam, and is one of the most 
profitable crops, though it takes fourteen or sixteen 
months to attain maturity. The jaggory is boiled 
in water, in which some lime and animal blood are 
mixed, and, after being filtered, is passed through 
charcoal to discolor it. It is then boiled by steam, 
when crystallisation takes place. After cooling, the 
crystals are separated from the treacle, and are assorted 
into three classes, of which the first is of excellent quality. 
In connection with the sugar refinery is a distillery, 
where a superior kind of spirits is produced, which has 

F 



66 



MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



a large sale, both in Mysore and beyond the frontier. 
An inferior kind of spirits, made of jaggory, taken from 
the date palm, is also largely consumed in the country. 

The high road from Mysore westward leads by 
Yelwal, a country-house of former Eesidents, to Hunsur, 
at one time a flourishing depot of the Madras Govern- 
ment, where various useful trades were carried on, 
which were alike profitable to the people and the 
State, but which an unwise economy stopped. A 
great quantity of leather accoutrements, as well as 
wood and iron implements of all sorts, were made for 
the army at a minimum of expense, owing to the facility 
with which hides were procured, and to the vicinity of 
valuable forests temporarily made over by the Mysore 
State to the British Government for the construction of 
gun-carriages. 

The principal feature in this establishment, however, 
was the department for breeding cattle, called the 
' Amrit Mahal :' from 6 amrit,' milk, and 4 mahal,' a 
department, a phrase apparently coined in the time of 
Tippu Sultan. The Mysore cattle were famed through- 
out India for their speed and endurance ; and although 
not so powerful in appearance as the Hissar breed 
in the north, they were more hardy, and far better 
adapted to the draught of guns, and were generally 
employed for this purpose, till the importation of 
Australian horses led to their being used solely for 
heavy siege guns. The breed was kept up with great 
care and at a heavy expense, but it was invaluable to 
the country, and good bullocks could be purchased at 
8/. or 10Z. the pair. After the abolition of the depart- 



MYSORE CATTLE. SANDAL -WOOD . 



67 



ment, when the agriculturists were left to their own 
resources, the breed of cattle rapidly degenerated 
throughout the country, and a fair pair of bullocks 
now costs double what it did fifteen years ago, thus 
entailing a considerable charge to the Madras Govern- 
ment. The department has, however, been recently 
revived, with fair prospects of success. The Mysore 
cattle stand high at the shoulder, have very powerful 
withers, sinewy but slender fore joints, and long curved 
horns. They are mostly white, or iron grey, but some 
are of a bluish-grey colour, and a few black. The 
best kinds are found in the Mysore district, and the 
cows are good milkers, but they require a change of 
pasturage, and for this purpose many grass preserves, 
called Kawals, some of which are well supplied with 
water, are reserved for their use in different parts of 
the province, so as to admit of the transfer of the 
herds in the dry season from the central grazing 
grounds to others nearer the hills, where more moisture 
then prevails. 

Leaving Hunsur, the high road to Coorg passes 
through Periapatam, formerly the stronghold of a 
petty Palegar, and the centre of the track where the 
sandal- wood tree grows with the greatest luxuriance. 
It is cut down by contract and carried to the depot, 
where it is prepared by hand, and after the bark is 
stripped off, the wood is assorted according to quality, 
in logs three feet long, which are piled in heaps, and 
sold by auction. It sells at the rate of 11 per 56 
pounds' weight, if of fine quality, but there are eight or 
nine divisions made at the periodical sales, according 

* 2 



68 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

to the fineness of the grain, the absence of flaws and 
cracks, and the size of the log, which rarely exceeds 
nine inches in diameter, after it has been prepared in 
the government timber-yards. There are five distinct 
qualities of sandal-wood logs, but, besides these, the 
following classification is made : Jaj Pokal, or logs 
hollowed inside ; Baghair adad, or logs unassorted, as 
being under four seers' weight ; Chilta, or chips ; and 
Ghut jar, or big roots. In fact, every portion of the 
tree is carefully preserved, while from the smaller cut- 
tings a good deal of oil, faintly resembling atar of 
roses, is made, and extensively used in Southern India, 
where the genuine atar is rare. 

A considerable revenue is raised from sandal-wood 
in Mysore, it being exported to Bombay, where it is 
used for carving, and for funeral pyres by luxurious 
Hindus, while large quantities are sent to China, the 
Indian wood being much superior to that of the Feejee 
Islands, where it is also found. Persons felling sandal- 
wood without authority are liable to fine, and the con- 
servancy of the trees forms as important a branch of 
the duties of the forest department as the preservation 
of the royal forests. 

About nine miles north of Periapatam, near the 
town of Bettadapur, is a very fine peak called Mali- 
karjuna, which is a prominent object throughout the 
western part of Mysore. There is a wearisome flight 
of steps to the summit, passing through many gateways, 
and at the top there is a small temple which has 
attained some notoriety, owing to its having been 
struck by lightning, which is regarded by the people 



ELEPHANTS. — WILD TRIBES. 



69 



as a token of the presence of the Divinity, who, in the 
shape of the god Siva, honored it by a visit. From this 
point a splendid view may be had of the Coorg moun- 
tains, and of a wide stretch of country on all sides. 

Immediately west of Periapatam commences the 
belt of jungle which encircles the Mysore district 
throughout, its western and southern sides. It is ex- 
tremely unhealthy, and infested in many places by 
wild beasts. Although tigers are not generally found 
in the denser forests, these are the favourite haunts of 
elephants, which travel long distances, and do immense 
injury to the rice fields. So great are their ravages, 
that it is not uncommon for the people to fence in with 
strong bamboo thickets the whole of the cultivated 
land of their villages, thus forming an extended cordon 
which the animals find it difficult to penetrate. They 
are occasionally caught in pitfalls, and expeditions are 
sometimes organised to hunt them down, but, unless 
they are caught when very young, they are not easily 
domesticated. One, which was captured when three 
months old, was sent in to the menagerie at Bangalore, 
where it used at first to lament piteously the absence 
of its dam, refusing for some time to be consoled. 

In the denser forests of the district, the only inhabi- 
tants are the wild Kurubas, consisting of the Betta or 
Hill Kurubas, and the Jenu or honey-collecting Kuru- 
bas, of whom the latter are of a very low type of 
humanity. The Betta Kurubas earn a livelihood by 
felling trees, and are much employed by the forest 
officers. Having means of obtaining a regular liveli- 
hood, they have fixed habitations, called ' hadis,' and, 



I'D MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



although totally uneducated, and having no religion 
except the reverence paid by them to the demons of 
the woods, they are less savage than might be expected 
under the circumstances. They are small in stature, 
like most wild tribes, but have tolerably well- formed 
conntenances. They will eat or drink almost anything, 
save beef. 

The Jenu Kurubas are very unprepossessing in ap- 
pearance, particularly the women, their heads being 
covered with a dense tangled mass of hair, which gives 
them a wild and brutish aspect. Their occupation is 
collecting forest produce, especially honey, which they 
extract in great quantities by putting torches at night- 
time underneath the combs, which are attached to the 
trees. They climb up an adjacent tree, from which, by 
aid of a pole, they manage to draw themselves across 
to the tree where the bees are, when the insects are 
easily smoked. 

Both these tribes may be placed in the same cate- 
gory at the S61igas of the Bilirangam Hills, but whereas 
the former use only bamboos and boughs for the con- 
struction of their dwellings, the Soligas build their huts 
of mud and grass, owing to the comparatively cold 
climate in which they live. The Soligas and Jenu 
Kurubas are very shy, but are supposed to practise 
magical arts. The former are good sportsmen and 
excellent trackers of game. 

On the eastern side of the Mysore district is Yelan- 
dur, a jagfr yielding 4,500/. a year, held by the de- 
scendants of the celebrated minister Purnia, who, 
during the late Maharaja's minority, conducted the 



HASAIsT. 



71 



administration of the province with signal success, in 
recognition of which service the estate was given to 
him under the guarantee of the British Government. 
It is the most fertile tract in Mysore, having first-class 
tanks, under which are rich gardens of cocoa-nut, 
betel and pan leaf, besides abundant crops of mulberry 
and red rice. The jagir has been declared to be in- 
divisible, and as the present proprietor, Krishna Murti, 
has received an excellent education, he will not only 
be the foremost of the Eaja's subjects, but may fairly 
aspire to hold the post formerly occupied by his dis- 
tinguished ancestor. 

HASAN. 

The Hasan district has an area of 1,697 square 
miles, a population of 592,000, and a revenue of 
12 6,000 Though small in extent, it is better known 
to Englishmen than any other portion of the province, 
as the western side of the district is occupied by 
numerous coffee planters, who have converted a wild 
and hilly region of jungle into a smiling garden, studded 
all over with evidence of their industry. With the 
exception of the three sub-divisions, forming this par- 
ticular portion of the district, its general features corre- 
spond with those of the Mysore and Toomkoor districts, 
on which it abuts to the south and east. 

In ancient days all this part of the Mysore province 
was ruled over by the kings of the Belal or Haisal race, 
whose era is said to date from the year 714, this being 
the earliest epoch which can be traced with any ap- 



72 MYSOEE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



proach to accuracy. They were of the Jain faith, and 
have left many vestiges of their power and piety. 
Their capital was for some time at Dwarasamudram, 
now called Halebidu or Halibede, where a magnificent 
temple still attests their glory and the skill of their 
architects. Some of the Jains appear to have come 
from upper India, but the Belal kings are said to have 
been natives of the soil, and were probably the repre- 
sentatives of those who still clung to the Buddhistic 
faith, after its suppression by the Brahmans. 

Horrible stories are told of the atrocities committed 
by the latter in extinguishing the rival beliefs, it being 
alleged that many Buddhists were brayed alive in large 
mortars, and tortured in various ways. It is, at any 
rate, certain that an intense hatred of the Brahmans 
still prevails in the minds of all Jains, which is the 
more striking, owing to the gentle and peaceful creed 
which they profess, the destruction of animal life in 
any shape being hateful to them. But in the remote 
places in the hills, to which the persecution of the 
Brahmans has driven them, and where they are still 
found exercising influence and cultivating large de- 
mesnes, it is their practice to go out into the woods 
and curse the Brahmans with all their heart and soul. 1 

In most parts of India, the Jains are a trading 
community, and, being energetic and opulent, they 
have extensive commercial connections. They have 
fine temples on Mount Tilla, called Jogi Tilla, in the 
Punjab ; at Benares ; at Parasnath, in Bengal ; on 

1 Orthodox Hindus, on the other hand, aver that to encounter a Jain is 
worse than to meet a mad elephant, or than to rush into a house on fire. 



GREAT STATUE AT SEA VAN BELGtJL. 



73 



Mount Abu, in Kajputana ; at Palitana, in Guzerat ; 
and many other places ; but perhaps none of these is so 
remarkable as the shrine of Sravan Belgul, in the 
Hasan district. 

This temple is on the summit of one of the superb 
granite mountains for which Mysore is remarkable, 
known by the name of Chandrabetta, or the Moun- 
tain of the Moon. It is difficult of ascent, owing to 
the slippery nature of the rock, but is of no great 
height. At intervals on the glassy surface are small 
gateways, which devotees pass under, on their way to 
the temple at the top, which is reached by several 
flights of steps near the summit. In the centre of the 
enclosure forming the sacred precincts, towers up a 
colossal statue of Gomateshwara, one of the incarna- 
tions of the Jain deity. It is 57 feet high, and faces 
the north, so that it is visible for many miles around. 
It was seemingly cut out of some rock which projected 
high above the general level of the hill, or the hill 
itself may have been cut away, as in the case of the 
famous Kailas temple at Ellora. The face has that 
serene and quiescent look which characterises most 
Buddhistical statues, and is not devoid of a certain 
amount of dignity, but the ears are long pendent flaps, 
and the hair is curled spirally over the head, which 
detracts considerably from the grace of the god's aspect. 
The shoulders are immensely broad, and the arms, 
which hang down the sides of the figure with the 
thumbs turned outwards, are rather too large and long. 
The proportions are generally good, however, as far as 
the thighs, but below this the statue dwarfs suddenly, 



74 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

and the legs, particularly from the knee to the foot, are 
contracted to about half their proper length. As the 
god, like other Jain deities, is represented as standing 
erect, this circumstance deprives the figure of much 
of its power, but it is nevertheless a majestic work of 
art. It is probable that in order to preserve the proper 
proportions throughout, it would have been necessary 
to cut away an enormous additional quantity of rock, 
which would have been difficult and expensive. 

A symbolical tree issues from between the legs, 
whence it branches off right and left, with leaves on 
either side of it, and, twining over the thighs, dis- 
appears at the hips of the figure, being, however, 
again seen winding in a double fold over the arms, 
where it terminates in a curl, below which are bunches, 
apparently meant for fruit. The statue is in puris 
naturalibus, but the feet stand on a carved resting- 
place, fashioned somewhat in the shape of a sandal, 
but quite flat. On either side of the statue are blocks 
of stone, over which also creep trees similar to that 
which issues from between the legs, while there are 
four inscriptions of a few lines each at the base of the 
stones. A platform was specially erected to ascertain 
the exact height of the statue, which was found to be 
57 feet, and not 70 feet, as generally supposed. 

Within the enclosure ornamented by this grand 
figure, are seventy-two smaller statues, ranged at in- 
tervals in compartments on three sides of the square. 
These represent the various personifications of the Jain 
deity, which are twenty-four in number, and there is 
therefore much repetition among them, nor do the 



THE JAM HIGH PEIEST. 75 

figures, which are almost all in an erect attitude, differ 
greatly from one another, except that each of the 
twenty-four personifications has its own vahana, or 
vehicle, on which it stands. The great statue was 
erected in the time of the Belal kings, and, it is said, 
by Jakanachari, but this is mere surmise, and it is 
probably anterior to this period ; Colonel Mackenzie 
assigns as early a date to it as 1121. 

Adjoining Chandrabetta, is another craggy hill 
called Indrabetta. where are some pretty temples and 
a picturesque pillar. The high priest of the Jains 
resides at Sravan Belgiil. but though reported to be 
learned, he is not a celibate, and is therefore not much 
respected by his flock. The town is noted for its 
brass vessels of all kinds, which are manufactured in 
thousands, and sent to all parts of the country. 

Hahbecle, or Dwarasamudram, must in former times 
have been a town of considerable size and importance, 
for although the Musalman invaders did their work 
well, and destroyed ruthlessly whatever offended their 
iconoclastic eyes, enough still remains to testify to the 
glories of the past. The country around is fertile, 
sugar-cane being grown to a great extent in the black 
soil, as well as til, kusumba, and garden produce, there 
being a good supply of water in the large tank called 
KakanaddL Dwarasamudram was also called Dwar- 
kavratipatan, but the origin of both words is unknown, 
although the former might perhaps indicate an ap- 
proach to the sea-coast by the old Kudadukal pass, 
under the Belalraidrus; hill. 

The town was founded in the twelfth century, and 



76; MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

for 200 years was the capital of the Belal kings, till the 
subversion of their power by Kafur, the Musalman 
general, in the fourteenth century. It was of great 
extent, and is said to have contained 725 Bastis, the 
name given to enclosed Jain temples, of which only a 
few still exist. The oldest of these is called Adina- 
theshwar, or the primaeval lord, a small and simple 
building, at the left entrance of which is a stone tablet, 
with the date 1197 of the Salivahan era on it (1265 
a.d.) The second, Santeshwar, or the lord of tran- 
quillity, is somewhat larger and more ornamented, but 
is still a plain structure. The third, Parasnatheshwar, 
one of the principal incarnations of the Jajn deity, is a 
large building, the pillars being of a fine black horn- 
blende, which, when moistened, is of a dark-green 
color. This stone is found in the Karikal quarries in 
the Toomkoor district, but the main portion of the 
temple is built of Balapam, or potstone, found in an 
adjacent hill, called Pushpagiri, or flower-hill. The 
temple is richly decorated outside with carvings of 
Jain deities, and inside is a large statue of black stone, 
standing erect with the arms at its sides, and having 
that air of tranquillity and dignity which characterises 
the great figure at Sravan Belgul. There is a re- 
markably fine shasana at the entrance of this temple. 
These three are the only genuine Jain temples now 
standing, and the priests are in very indigent circum- 
stances, there being but few Jain families now in the 
place. 

The great Saiva temple of Halibede, called Haisale- 
shwara, was built, it is said, in the reign of Yishnu 



FAMOUS TEMPLE OF HALIBEDE. 



77 



Vardhana, the tenth king of the Belal race, who was 
persuaded by a favourite mistress to desert the faith of 
his ancestors, and to adopt the tenets of the followers 
of Vishnu. The architect was a Brahman, named 
Jakanachari, whose celebrity is attested by the nu- 
merous temples in the country of which the origin is 
attributed to him. The Haisaleshwara temple, though 
much injured by time, is undoubtedly a striking work of 
art, and the graceful execution of the carvings on the 
exterior is probably unrivalled in India. The decora- 
tions are in layers, the bottom one representing ele- 
phants, the second mythical lions, above which are 
delicate scrolls, then men on horseback, above these 
another fringe of scrolls, then scenes from the wars of 
the Mahabharat, and the story of the Eamayana. There 
are eight or ten such layers within a height of eight 
feet, the number not being uniform throughout, though 
their general character is the same. Above these are 
figures of various deities, under beautifully carved 
canopies, standing on a basement of finely wrought 
scrolls. Many of the mimic scenes on the layers are 
gracefully designed, and the scrolls are singularly rich 
and elegant. In the projecting portions of the build- 
ing outside, the roof is supported by square-cut pillars, 
which are not remarkable, but, in the recesses, a finely 
chiselled fretwork is to be seen, intersected at intervals 
by handsome black pillars of hornblende of striking 
design. There are two shrines inside the building, 
and several smaller altars, the roof being supported by 
well- wrought pillars of the same fashion. Outside the 
temple, and facing it, are two structures called manta- 



78 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

pams, in which recline bulls of great size, one of 
hornblende, the other of potstone. There are several 
stone tablets let into the wall of the temple, but they 
are not of special interest. A considerable sum of 
money has of late years been spent in restoring this 
interesting relic, but the great size of the stones 
presents difficulties, while it is impossible to reproduce 
the delicate carvings where they have been wantonly 
injured by Musalmans or mischievous boys. 

At Jamgal, eight miles distant, in the Kadur district, 
is another temple of the same character, but it is of 
small size and is much worn. So great is the celebrity 
of the Halibede carvings, that, at the present time, 
they form the model on which all the workers in san- 
dal-wood fashion the choice designs so often met with, 
and the name of Jakanachari is justly famed through- 
out the province. Of the Aramane, or palace of the 
old Jain kings, scarcely any traces are to be seen, and 
excavations have not proved successful ; but there are 
still, on the western side of the town, remains of the 
wall and ditch which protected it, testifying, by the 
great size of the stones forming the fortifications, to the 
importance of the place. 

At Belur, ten miles east of Halibede, is another 
temple of singular beauty, dedicated to Keshava or 
Vishnu. It is entered by a magnificent gateway of 
great height, near which is a fine quadrangular build- 
ing, in which is deposited the gigantic car which is 
used for carrying about the idol at the periodical pro- 
cessions. The temple is of considerable height, and is 
topped by a large canopy in the shape of an umbrella. 



BELUR TEMPLE. 



79 



The southern side of the building is of especial beauty, 
there being some exquisitely-carved shrines on either 
side of the steps leading to the temple, which is erected 
on a stone platform five feet above the ground. The 
general character of the carvings approximates to those 
on the Halibede building, but the walls are more 
ornate, and there are several smaller temples in the 
enclosure which surrounds the main building. An 
excellent idea of these striking works of art can be 
obtained from the photographs taken of them by order 
of the Madras and Mysore Governments. 1 The architect 
is said to have been Jakanachari, who built the Hali- 
bede temple. 

At Nagamangalam, on the eastern side of the district, 
is another temple of great size, but not otherwise remark- 
able, also said to have been planned by this famous 
builder, to whom is assigned the construction of all the 
most elegant remains of Hindu taste and magnificence 
to be. found in Mysore. 

One of the most frequented places of pilgrimage in 
this part of Mysore is Melkote, said to be called 
Yadugiri in the old Puranas, which assign to it a great 
antiquity. It is one of the places where Vaishnava 
Brahmans congregate in great numbers, and constant 
disputes about precedence arise between them, the 
Eajas Guru, Parakala Swami, having vainly tried to 
assert his pre-eminence, which is strenuously resisted 
by the other priests. The temples are richly endowed 
by the Eaja, but are not architecturally beautiful, 

1 See notes on photographs taken by Captain Lyon, edited by J. 
Fergusson, F.R.S. Marion & Co., Soho Square, 1870, pages 72-83. 



80 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

though the southern gateway of the town, called Eai 
Gopal Bagalu, is fine. The country around is interest- 
ing to the geologist, the formation being sienitic quartz, 
in which is found talc and the gopichandana white 
clay, which is used for making sectarian marks on the 
forehead. 

To the north of the district, near Arsikere, is the 
Tirupati hill, known in the Sthal Purana, or local 
legend, by the name of Amaragiri, or immortal hill, 
an appellation given to it by an ancient Muni, who, for 
some fanciful reason, considered it to be the finest hill 
between the rivers Krishna and Kaveri. It is ascended 
by a painful flight of steps, said to be 1,700 in number, 
it being a religious duty on the part of pilgrims to 
crack a cocoa-nut on each step. The temple on the 
summit is dedicated to Janardan, but is not remarkable, 
though the hill commands a fine view of the country 
around. It is the extremity of a range running nearly 
due north to the frontier of the province. The term 
Tirupati, or the sacred lord, is applied to Vishnu, who 
is however generally worshipped in Mysore under the 
designation of Venkata, and hence this name is con- 
stantly met with among the people of the country, as, 
for instance, Venkatiengar, Venkata Eamana, and other 
combinations. Of late years, educated natives are 
prone to bestow long, high-sounding names on their 
children, generally, however, selecting the appellation 
of their favourite house-deity, but in former times 
names were more simple, the higher classes rejoicing 
in such appellations as Narsappa, Subayya (appa and 
ayya being respectful salutations similar to our word 



NATIVE CHRISTIANS. 



81 



4 sir '), while more unsophisticated agriculturists con- 
tented themselves with still shorter names, such as 
Bomma, Timma, Bhaira, and so forth. 

In the Hasan district is found a considerable congre- 
gation of native Christians. In the town of Ganjam, 
near Seringapatam, they are numerous, but belong 
chiefly to the trading community. At Bangalore and 
Mysore, they are mostly Tamil employes, menial ser- 
vants, or soldiers. In the Mysore infantry, called the 
Bar, from a Kanarese word signifying a line of troops, 
there are many Christian soldiers, known by the name 
of Aleman ; and in the time of Tippu Sultan there was 
a whole battalion of them, under an officer named 
Surappa (Xavier), who, on one occasion, when the 
tyrant meditated the destruction of the Christian church 
at Seringapatam, called his fellow believers to arms, 
and defied his master. In the Hasan district, however, 
the native Christians are mostly agriculturists, entire 
villages being found whose ancestors were converted 
several generations ago. 

The Catholic mission in Mysore dates from the time 
of the Jesuits, who had several stations in the province, 
nearly all of which were however swept away during 
the persecutions of Tippu. It is not known whether 
the Apostle of the East, St. Francis Xavier, ever visited 
Mysore, though at Mangalore, close by on the western 
coast, are to be found the descendants of Brahmanical 
and other families converted by him. John de Brit to, 
who was martyred on the eastern coast, did cross the 
Ghats, though it is uncertain whether he entered the 
Mysore province, owing to the few details given in his 

G 



82 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

letters. During the Portuguese ascendancy, many of 
their clergy laboured in Mysore, and near the river 
Kaveri are to be seen the remains of a chapel within 
an enclosure marked by four stones, on which are 
inscriptions dated 1704, granting the land to the 
4 Sanyasis of Eome.' At Heggadevankotta, near the 
Kabbani, a chapel was also built, but the priest was 
killed, it is said, by the villagers. 

JSTo church, however, worthy of the name appears to 
have been built till the Abbe Dubois, of the Missions 
Etrangeres, commenced the erection of one at Mysore, 
and another at Sathalli, in the Hasan district. This 
zealous missionary resided for a quarter of a century 
in the province, and was intimately acquainted with 
the habits of the people of Southern India, of whom 
he has left an interesting account. Since his time, the 
Sathalli church has been much enlarged and embellished, 
and is a fine building with a nave and aisles. A con- 
vent is attached to it, where native nuns teach young 
girls reading, writing, and sewing. The priests have 
also established a dispensary, from which they supply 
medicine, not only to their own flock, but to all comers, 
gratis, and they are consequently frequently applied to, 
There are twelve villages in the neighbourhood almost 
entirely inhabited by Christians, numbering, it is said, 
1,000 souls, and it is a strange sight in a heathen 
land to see them trooping to mass on a Sunday at 
the sound of the church-going bell. Their simple 
devotion is touching, and though their general educa- 
tion is imperfect, they are well instructed in the tenets 
of their faith, and are good members of society. Of 



CASTE CHRISTIANS. 



83 



late years, many Kanarese religious books have been 
printed at Bangalore and circulated among tliem. 

The majority of the congregation are what is called 
caste Christians, that is to say, while following the 
Christian belief in all matters touching their faith and 
morals, they preserve their ancient social customs in 
everything which does not trench upon religion, and 
in respect to degrees of relationship in marriages, and 
to succession to property, have the same rules as their 
neighbours of the same caste who are not Christians. 

The system of caste is in many points, doubtless, 
objectionable, and it is somewhat difficult to say where 
religion begins and social observances end, but the fact 
remains that those native Christians who have preserved 
their caste are more moral, and better servants of Go- 
vernment than those who have shaken off the trammels. 
It is a mortifying admission to make perhaps, but it is 
undoubtedly true. In the Mysore service, there are 
several caste Christians, holding high positions, whose 
character is irreproachable. It may be added that the 
greater strictness with which they, in common with 
Hindus of the same caste, adhere to ancient practice in 
regard to consanguinity, probably tends to preserve 
purity of blood, although it has a disadvantageous 
effect in debarring them from raising themselves in the 
social scale, except so far as government service is 
concerned. Throwing open the doors of government 
employment to all comers has not, however, in the 
opinion of many persons well qualified to judge, pro- 
duced a higher standard of ability, and men of the best 

9 2 



84 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

caste are, as a rule, superior to those below them in 
social status. 

The tenacity with which the native Christians cling 
to their ancient usages induced the Catholic mission- 
aries, at an early period, to concede to their converts 
the privilege of preserving all their customs appertain- 
ing to marriage ceremonies and the division of pro- 
perty, but in the delicate questions which frequently 
arose on these subjects, the Christians readily sub- 
mitted to the arbitrament of their clergy, so that dis- 
putes rarely came into court. The native Christian 
congregation under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the 
Missions Etrangeres numbers in Mysore nearly 20,000 
souls, comprising influential merchants, tradesmen, 
agriculturists, shepherds, and artisans, besides servants 
of Government, soldiers, camp followers, and menial 
attendants. 

The various congregations following the Protestant 
faith number possibly 2,000 souls under all denomina- 
tions. 

The Wesleyan Mission commenced its operations in 
1822, among the Tamil people of Bangalore, and sub- 
sequently occupied seven or eight other stations among 
the Kanarese-speaking population of the interior. The 
London Mission commenced work in 1820, and is 
chiefly employed in Bangalore, where they have an ex- 
cellent school for native girls. Both missions have 
turned their attention to the literature of the country 
to good purpose. The Catholic Missions have not 
hitherto succeeded in imparting a first-class secular 
education in their schools, but the W esleyan and Lon- 



PROTESTANT MISSIONS. DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED . 85 

don Missions have made great efforts in this direction. 
To the Wesleyans is due the credit of having trained 
up many of the highest native employes in the pro- 
vince, and the London Mission Schools have, of late 
years, attained a high standard. The Wesleyans have 
an excellent press, and print yearly a large number of 
Kanarese books, both secular and religious, the type 
being excellent. The Catholic Mission has adopted 
types, of which the matrices were cut in Paris, but, 
though clearly incised, they are somewhat too thin to 
please the eye. 

All the missions, now-a-days, appear to devote their 
efforts principally to printing and circulating books 
and pamphlets, mainly, of course, of a religious cha- 
racter. These have no doubt the effect of leavening 
the native mind, and possibly of preparing it for the 
future reception of the truth, but the immediate effect 
is scarcely perceptible, and conversions are very few in 
number. All that even the Catholic Missions can do 
at present is to preserve what their predecessors won. 
Natives do not, indeed, object to read the Bible in 
schools as a class-book, but it leaves no permanent 
effect apparently, and is regarded by them like any 
other book in the curriculum. The circumstance that 
both Protestant and Catholic Missions are in the field, 
teaching doctrines in many respects opposed to one 
another, has a prejudicial effect upon the native mind, 
and until the time comes when a considerable number 
of the higher classes in India lead the way in adopting 
Christianity, it is highly improbable that any general 
movement in this direction will take place. The 



86 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

present state of things is by no means encouraging, 
notwithstanding what may be asserted in annual 
reports ; indeed, it is thought by many that the 
distrust shown by natives has increased rather than 
diminished. 

The native Christians are generally looked down 
upon by the rest of the community, and especially by 
the Brahmans, who naturally inculcate the highest re- 
verence for their own priestly order, and contemn and 
despise all beneath them in caste. It is seldom, how- 
ever, that any acts of open violence are perpetrated, 
though occasionally such have been committed from 
superstitious motives, and the following singular in- 
stance was brought to light some years ago. 

The belief in the efficacy of human sacrifices still 
lingers in the native mind, and occasionally shows 
itself in absurd accusations against Christians, to the 
effect that children are immolated on the threshold of 
newly-built churches, but the practice is not unknown 
among the Hindus themselves. In the Hasan district, 
there was a tank, the embankment of which had been 
breached unfortunately three or four years in succes- 
sion. At one end of this embankment was a Christian 
village, called Gadanhalli, and at the other, a heathen 
village, called Mallagudda. The head-men of the latter, 
being greatly discouraged at the repeated injuries to 
the tank, conceived an idea that, in order to give the 
embankment stability for the future, an animal sacrifice 
was necessary, and superstition added that the immola- 
tion of a human victim would effectually propitiate the 
deity. The villagers accordingly clubbed together and 



MURDER OF A CHRISTIAN BOY. 



87 



bribed, for the sum of 2/., a man named Honna to 
execute the deed. This individual, having proceeded 
to an adjoining pagoda, in company with other per- 
sons, and consulted omens of success, immediately set 
about the work. In the evening of the day there was 
in the Christian village of Gadanhalli one of those pro- 
cessions in which the natives of India rejoice, and 
which seem indispensable to their happiness, whatever 
faith they may follow. A poor widow had an only 
son, a boy of six or seven, who, attracted by the spec- 
tacle, went to join in the amusement. He never 
returned, and the next morning his body was found 
floating in the tank, directly opposite the place where 
the embankment had been last breached. The whole 
affair was hushed up, and it was reported that the boy 
had been accidentally drowned, but with some difficulty 
a clue was found, and, notwithstanding the efforts of 
the chief local government officer, a Brahman named 
Srinivas Ayengar, who was a relation of the accountant 
of the village (the principal instigator of the tragedy), 
to screen the criminals, the murder came out. Honna 
showed the place in the tank where he had thrown the 
boy's blanket and handkerchief, and in the accounts of 
the repair of the tank an entry was found of the sum 
paid to him for committing the foul deed. The accom- 
plices in the murder were brought to trial, and, in 
spite of sundry efforts made to effect their release, were 
duly punished. 

The malnad (from ' male,' a hill, and ' nad,' a division 
of country), or hilly portion of the Hasan district, com- 
prises the whole of the Manjarabad sub-division, and a 



88 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

portion of those of Belur and Maharajdrug, and is a 
tract full of interest. The general level is about 3,000 
feet above the sea, but, though a hill country, it is in 
reality a depression between the stupendous ghat range 
of the Kadoor district on the north, and the superb 
mountains of Coorg on the south, which close it in 
with seemingly impassable barriers. Its ancient name 
was Balam, from the Sanskrit 'Bala,' or strength, 
and it was certainly a strong country, being bounded 
on the east, first by the river Yagachi, and secondly by 
the Hemavati (the latter of which is a stream of 
considerable size), while on the west the only ap- 
proaches to it were by almost inaccessible passes, the 
chief of which is called Bisale. The whole country, 
being covered by dense forests on its western face, is 
frequently enveloped in fog, and being thus obscured, 
when visited by Tippu Sultan, he gave the spot whence 
he surveyed the region, and where he subsequently 
built a fort, the name of Manjarabad, or 6 the abode of 
mist,' from 6 Manju,' a Kanarese word signifying mist, 
and 6 abad,' Persian for an abode or dwelling. The hill 
on which stands the fort that has given its modern 
name to the country, is 3,400 feet above the sea, and is 
lower than many other prominent peaks, one of which, 
Jenkal, is more than 4,000 feet. 

Although, as one approaches the frontier between 
Manjarabad and South Canara, the scenery is strikingly 
wild, owing to the thick forests which cover the great 
Ghat ranges, the interior of the country to the south is 
comparatively open — beautiful clumps of noble trees 
and grassy hill-sides giving it the appearance of an 



PICTURESQUE GROVES. 



89 



English park. In fact, in some places, the observer 
can scarcely resist the conclusion that art, and not 
nature, has been at work in laying out this attractive 
region in the most picturesque way possible. The 
people take great pride in preserving the sacred groves 
that surround their favourite temples, showing, in this 
respect, a feeling akin to that of the Coorgs, who de- 
vote to the worship of their special deity Ayappa, or 
Pan, some of the finest forests in their province. 
There is little connection, however, between the people 
of Manjarabad on the one side and the Coorgs on the 
- other ; or between the former and the men of the 
Nagar division — arising, no doubt, from the difficulty 
of communication in so hilly a region. 

Such intercourse as there was with outsiders was 
carried on by means of the old passes, which, though 
rugged and dangerous, were traversed by traders, whose 
pack-bullocks managed with considerable risk to climb 
these mountain paths, laden with grain and cloths. There 
was also a thoroughfare for pilgrims proceeding to the 
famous shrine of Subhramani, below the Ghats, whither 
thousands of worshippers, desirous of paying their re- 
spects to the snake deity, resorted every year, by way 
of the Bisale Ghat. This pass leads down to the low 
country underneath the precipitous sides of the magni- 
ficent Kumar Parvat, or Pushpagiri, in Coorg, and the 
gradients being one in ten feet, or even one in five, and 
the narrow way being frequently blocked up by immense 
boulders and the shattered fragments of ancient steps, 
the communication is well nigh impracticable. 

When Manjarabad became the head-quarters of the 



90 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



Mysore coffee-planters, attention was naturally directed 
to the old passes, which offered the only access to the 
coast, but, as it was found that it would be a waste of 
time and money to maintain paths which, with such 
severe gradients, could never be made practicable for 
cart traffic, it was wisely resolved to seek for more 
easy descents from the Mysore table-land. Accor- 
dingly, two roads have been opened — one, the Manja- 
rabad Ghat, par excellence, in the centre of the sub- 
division ; and the other the Kodekal, or Blind Ghat, 
which traverses the northern side of the country. 
Both these roads have been fairly laid out, and are 
available for carts, the gradients being easy ; but they 
are liable to be much injured by heavy floods in the 
monsoon, and their maintenance in proper order is 
always a matter of anxious consideration. The south- 
ern part of the sub-division is still inadequately supplied 
with communications to the coast, although the Bisale 
route is still used by native traders, who are satisfied 
with the old mode of conveyance by bullocks. 

It may be remarked that, although the trade with 
the coast in miscellaneous articles, such as grain, cloth, 
fish, and salt, must always be maintained, it is pro- 
bable that, on the completion of the contemplated 
railway through Mysore, the course of the coffee trade 
will be diverted, and that the produce which is now sent 
for shipment to places in Canara, on the western coast, 
will be transmitted by rail to Madras, or even to 
Bombay. 

In the Kempu Hole, or Bed Eiver, at the foot of 
the Manjarabad Ghat, garnets are found in great num- 



PATELS, OR HEAD-MEN. 



91 



bers, but they are not sufficiently valuable to become 
an article of commerce. 

The Manjarabad country appears in ancient time to 
have been an appanage of the Belal Eajas of Halibede, 
but was an unimportant jungle tract. During the 
ascendancy of the Vijayanagar princes, some of whom 
exhibited much energy and enterprise in improving 
their dominions, attempts were made to reclaim the 
wild region of Balam ; and the leading people of the 
country claim a descent from the first emigrants who, 
with little difficulty, overthrew the aborigines, now 
represented by the agrestic hinds who work on the 
farms of the lords of the soil. For many ages, and 
indeed till within the last forty years, the lower castes 
of Manjarabad were simply slaves living on the estates 
of the Patels, or head-men, who clothed and fed them 
and their families, and regarded them as part of their 
property. They were generally treated with kindness, 
and received presents on marriage ceremonies and 
other festivals, but their bondage was a recognised 
fact ; so much so that they could be legally sold, with 
or without the estate to which they were attached. 
Their transfer in this way was, however, of rare occur- 
rence, but, since their manumission, many have left the 
homes of their masters and entered the service of coffee 
planters, who pay them double the hire formerly received 
by them. To the Patels this is a sore grievance, and it 
is very difficult to persuade them of the justice of the 
course prescribed by Government, they being deaf to all 
suggestions that they have an easy remedy in their hands 
by doubling the wages of these unfortunate outcasts. 



92 



MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



The Patels are locally of great importance, and the 
6 Shime Gauda,' or Lord Lieutenant of the county, 
holds a large estate, receives sundry emoluments in the 
shape of land and fees, and is treated with much respect 
by the whole hill-side. All the Patels exercise consi- 
derable influence within their own villages, and formerly 
possessed feudal authority, which, under the Jagannath 
of civilisation, and codes of equal justice to all, has 
sensibly diminished. In their own homes, which are 
often strongly fortified, and surrounded by a deep 
fosse, they still, however, maintain a patriarchal autho- 
rity, each farm being complete in itself, and, in respect 
to the requirements of daily life, independent of its 
neighbours. Cloths, blankets, household utensils, and 
such other articles as cannot be made up or manufac- 
tured in the house, are readily procured at the periodical 
Santes, or fairs, which are held in different parts of the 
country. 

In the absence of the despotic authority formerly 
wielded by them, the Patels cling fondly to the use of 
the insignia granted to them by the Vijayanagar kings, 
and value them as much as Europeans do titles, orders, 
and crosses. One of the Patels enjoys the following : — 
1. A green umbrella borne by an attendant over his 
head. 2. A swinging sword. 3. A cloth for fanning 
him in the heat. 4. A caparisoned horse. 5. A Yak fan. 
6. A palankeen. 7. A conical cloth on a pole, to keep 
off the sun. Other chiefs have spears, torches at day- 
time, Karane horns, drums, lances, silver sticks, &c. 
Of all these marks of rank the Karane horn is the most 
curious, it being five feet long, and so heavy that a man 



CURIOUS HORN-MUSIC. — AIGUR CHIEF. 



93 



can barely raise it at intervals, to bellow forth a thun- 
dering blast, when he is forced to drop it again. The 
use of a curved horn, called a kombu, is common in 
Mysore. It is carried by a man, whose special duty it is 
to accompany the Amildar, or officer of the sub-division, 
when the latter leaves his head-quarters ; and when he 
approaches a village, the hornman sounds a not unmusi- 
cal blast, winding up with a high note, which has the 
effect of producing the immediate presence of all the 
villagers to pay their respects to the Amildar. The 
Karane is a giant among horns, and is straight. It is 
rarely met with except in the hill portions of Mysore, 
or as an appanage of some of the principal temples, 
which, in the shape of fiddlers, singing and dancing 
women, and heathenish musical instruments, turn out a 
deputation to meet distinguished visitors which would 
astonish Exeter Hall. 

Foremost among the chiefs of the country was the 
Aigur Palegar, to whose ancestor, Lingappa Naik, one of 
the Vijayanaga Eajas — either Bukka Kay a or Harihara 
Baya — is said to have granted as a fief, in 1397, not only 
Manjarabad or Balam, but several other sub-divisions in 
the plain country, yielding a revenue altogether of 
between 70,000/. and 80,000/. It is not known what 
tribute was fixed as payable to the Yijayanagar king- 
dom, but it is probable that the Palegar, and the Patels 
under his jurisdiction, yielded only a nominal allegiance 
to that State, and exercised uncontrolled authority in 
their own country. 

On the dismemberment of the Vijayanagar do- 
minions, and the rise to power of the Mysore Eajas, the 



94 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

Balani country became a bone of contention between 
these chiefs and the Naiks of Ikkeri, a territory in the 
Shimoga district, whose founders also derived their 
authority from Vijayanagar. The latter, during the 
rule of Sivappa Naik, a chief of considerable repute, 
appear to have subjugated all the hill country between 
the present Bombay frontier and Coorg ; but their sway 
was evanescent, and the Aigur Palegar only paid an 
occasional tribute to them, Nor did the Mysore State 
exercise any well-defined authority over Balara till the 
time of Haidar Ali, who not only subverted the Ikkeri 
or Bedn6r dynasty, but annexed Balam permanently to 
his own dominions. The Palegar s were, however, re- 
fractory, both Krishnappa Naik and his son Venkatadri 
Naik giving much trouble to Tippu Sultan, while even 
after the fall of Seringapatam^ the latter endeavoured to 
evade submission to the Mysore Eaja, asserting his inde- 
pendence. There was no question, however, that Balam 
was by conquest an integral part of Mysore, so British 
troops were despatched against the Palegar, who, after 
more than one disastrous check to the English force, 
was defeated by Colonel Wellesley, taken prisoner, and 
hanged by orders of the Minister. 

The head of the family, the descendant of this Pale- 
gar, is a political detenu, but has still considerable local 
influence. Attempts have been made to induce the 
Palegars who lost their patrimonial possessions in the 
time of the Musalman rulers of Mysore, and who now 
receive miserable pittances from the State, to take up 
tracts of waste land for cultivation on favorable terms 
of rent, but they are generally both proud and indolent, 



THE OLD CHIEFS. 



95 



and the measure has met with but partial success. 
Whenever they are permitted to dwell for a time in the 
country where their forefathers ruled, they have little 
difficulty in extorting contributions from the heads of 
villages, but their prolonged residence proves embar- 
rassing to the people, and it is not without inconvenience 
to the Government. 

Manjarabad is divided locally into six nads, each of 
which has its own Patel. Every nad is divided into a 
certain number of mandes, there being thirty-six in all, 
each, also, having a Patel, while below these again are 
the head-men of single villages. The nad Patels are 
also the head-men of the mandes, or group of villages 
in which they reside, and have much local weight and 
importance. In fact, the whole system is purely feudal, 
and is well suited to a difficult country covered with 
hills and forest, for, the population being limited and 
widely scattered, and the natives living on detached 
farms, and not in villages, it is impossible to carry out 
any orders of Government without the ready co-opera- 
tion of the leading men, who, for their service, have 
small rent-free holdings, called £ umbli.' 

Three of the nad Patels are by caste Lingayats, who 
follow the teaching of priests called Jangamas — men of 
little repute for learning — while the other three Patels 
are of the Hale Wokkaligaru, or ancient farmer-caste, 
a term which seems peculiar to the hill country. Their 
slaves were styled Hale Makkalu, or ancient children, 
and are also called Holiaru. There is not so much dif- 
ference in dress between them and their masters as 
between the Coorgs and their hinds, a black blanket 



96 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

wrapped tightly round the loins, and thrown over the 
shoulder, being common to all ; but those worn by the 
head-men are of finer material, while they use waist- 
cloths and turbans, white or colored. Matchlocks 
and wood knives are carried by all classes. 

Though not, perhaps, so gallant a race as the Coorgs, 
the head-men are fine fellows, and infinitely superior to 
their neighbours in the plains. They are, however, 
very superstitious, and it is said that the immolation of 
human victims was, in past years, not unknown to 
them. 

Eice is the principal crop grown in the country, the 
numerous streams that rise in the forest-clad hills afford- 
ing an abundant supply of water, so that artificial irri- 
gation, whether from tanks or wells, is in consequence 
seldom resorted to. Of the crops grown in unirrigated 
land in the adjoining plain districts, few are raised, but, 
if produced, they are free from extra assessment. 

A good deal of grain is sent out of the country in 
bags made of the bark of a tree called ' gaja mara,' 
or elephant tree. The trunk is steeped in water, 
after which the bark is removed entire by threshing 
it, in which state it is not unlike the leg of an 
elephant. 

Beautiful as it is to the eye, Manjar&bad would be an 
insignificant tract, were it not for the importance which 
it has derived within the last generation from the pro- 
duction of coffee, which has entirely changed the face of 
the country, and made its name known in the markets of 
Europe. The dense jungles which only produced car- 
damoms, lac, pepper, and other forest produce, have 



COFFEE PLANTING. EXISTING EXCISE. 



97 



everywhere disappeared under the axe of the planter, 
smiling gardens taking their place. 

The introduction of the coffee plant into Mysore is 
assigned, with every appearance of truth, to a Musal- 
man ascetic, who resided on the summit of the magni- 
ficent mountain in the Kadoor district, called in ancient 
time Chandradrona, but more recently Baba Budan, 
after the individual referred to. He is said to have 
brought the tree from Mecca, whither he had gone on 
a pilgrimage, and to have planted it in the vicinity of 
his home, whence its cultivation gradually spread, 
though only to a limited extent, to the adjoining hills. 
For many years the Mysore State rented out the pro- 
duce to a Madras firm, and a long time elapsed before 
European enterprise conceived the idea of expending 
capital, and forming regular plantations. 

About twenty-five years ago, a successful attempt 
to grow coffee was made in Wastara, not far from the 
Baba Budan hill, by Mr. Cannon, who gradually ex- 
tended his operations, and is said to have realised a 
large fortune. His example was soon followed by 
others, and as Manjarabad, having fine forests and a 
good climate, appeared well suited for planting ope- 
rations, a great many European gentlemen settled 
there, and obtained grants of lands for coffee cultiva- 
tion. The produce at first paid one rupee per maund 
of 28 pounds, which rate was eventually reduced to 
one quarter, or sixpence, that is, the excise duty is now 
two shillings per hundredweight. As the selling price 
of a maund (28 pounds) of coffee in the country is 
about ten shillings, the government duty falls at 5 per 

H 



98 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

cent, on the out-turn, a demand which may be said to 
be moderate, especially as an allowance is made for 
the husks on weighing the coffee. 

It was at one time contemplated to substitute an acre- 
age for the present excise duty, on the ground that the 
latter system operated repressively on the extension of 
cultivation, and that it was a tax upon industry. Prima 
facie, it did seem hard that, if a planter expended large 
sums and brought his coffee gardens to the highest 
state of cultivation, he should be taxed according to 
the amount of his produce, while native proprietors, 
who cultivated their holdings in a slovenly and im- 
perfect manner, escaped with an easy payment, but, on 
closely examining the subject, it was found to be 
impracticable to comply with the wishes of the Euro- 
pean planters. In the adjoining province of Coorg, an 
acreage has been substituted for the previous excise, on 
the following terms, namely, that for the first four 
years no rent be charged, that from the fifth to the 
ninth year two shillings an acre be paid on the whole 
area of an estate, after deducting grass land, and that 
after the ninth year the payment be four shillings. It 
was supposed that the limitation of the demand, and 
the greater security given by title-deeds issued on 
behalf of the Secretary of State, would greatly improve 
the position of the planter, and add considerably to the 
value of the estate. 

In Mysore, however, there were various reasons 
which made this course unadvisable. In the first 
place, as the province was administered in trust on 
account of the Maharaja, it was not in the power of 



OBSTACLES TO SUBSTITUTING AN ACREAGE. 



99 



the English officials to give permanent title-deeds, 
and the grants for coffee -planting are, therefore, ne- 
cessarily of a temporary nature, although the British 
Government has expressed an opinion that the engage- 
ments will be binding on any future ruler of Mysore. 
The grants, called puttahs, are however as complete as 
circumstances will admit. They are signed by the 
chief official of the province, and are duly numbered 
and registered, and guarantee the continuance of the 
grant so long as a prescribed number of coffee trees 
per acre are planted, and the regulated excise is paid. 
The area and boundaries are also specified with a fair 
amount of accuracy, in the absence of a scientific 
survey. Any transfers made by the original grant- 
holder can be registered in the local registry offices, 
and there is, therefore, little essential difference be- 
tween the validity of the grants and those issued in 
Coorg. 

The second obstacle to fixing an acreage was the 
extreme difficulty of carrying out a regular survey of 
coffee holdings. When it is considered that the plant 
is grown among forests, in a rugged hill country, 
within ill-defined areas, that the holdings of native 
proprietors are frequently very small and only occa- 
sionally cultivated, and that sometimes only a few 
hundred trees are planted, or, rather, scattered about, 
in the heart of dense jungles, it will be apparent what 
a length of time would elapse, and what a heavy 
expense would be entailed, before a scientific survey 
could be effected. Further, it is obvious that the 
entire work could not possibly have been carried out 



100 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

in one season, so that the imposition of an acreage in 
some cases and of an excise in others, would have 
produced much embarrassment and dissatisfaction. 

Lastly, to the majority of the native planters an 
excise is preferable to an acreage. They have little 
desire to sell their holdings, and rarely bring them 
into the market, either for sale or mortgage, while an 
excise duty, which adapts itself to good or bad seasons, 
and the consequent outturn of the crop, does not press 
so heavily upon them as an unalterable land-tax, 
which is collected rigidly at the same rate under all 
circumstances. Of the whole excise now paid in 
Mysore, about nine-tenths are paid in the Kadoor and 
Shimoga districts, and about three-fourths in the Hasan 
district by natives, so that, on a consideration of the 
general question, it was necessary to guard carefully 
their interests before effecting any change. 

The produce of a European estate may be estimated 
at from 140 to 280 lbs. per cultivated acre, or, say, 
210 lbs. as an average, whereas on that of a native 
holder, who is unwilling to lay out large sums in im- 
proving his estate, it is rarely more than 42 lbs. The 
former, therefore, pays on 210 lbs., at sixpence per 
maund of 28 lbs., 3«s. 9d. per acre, or about what the 
highest acreage in Coorg reaches on the whole culti- 
vation, whereas the native, under the excise system, on 
his produce of 42 lbs. per acre, pays only 9c?., so 
that a heavy acreage would have a most disadvan- 
tageous effect. Indeed, as the native planters in Hasan 
contribute yearly to the excise about 2,300/. and the 
European planters only 600/., an acreage would pro- 



PRESENT POSITION OF COFFEE PLANTERS. 101 

bably have proved detrimental, both to the government 
revenue and to native industry. The above figures 
may not be strictly accurate, but they are sufficiently 
near the mark to illustrate the subject. 

It does not appear practicable to reduce the excise, 
which, as above observed, falls only at the rate of 5 per 
cent, on the crop, while the Hasan planters are pro- 
bably better off than their neighbours in Coorg and 
the Wainad, as their felling and clearing expenses 
have been smaller, labor is cheaper, and the succes- 
sion of bad seasons has affected them somewhat less 
than those who pay an acreage. At the same time, 
the great stimulus given to the coffee trade in other 
countries has acted prejudicially to their interests, 
eagerness to make a fortune has led to much inferior 
land being occupied, and, above all, the ravages of the 
insect called the borer have dismayed many a stout 
heart and able head among them. Owing to the 
drought which prevailed for several years, the borer 
beetles, as well as destructive species of moths in the 
grub state, made their appearance, chiefly in the plan- 
tations situated farthest away from the ghats, where 
the climate is drier than in the estates to the west, and 
did incalculable damage. It was found that large 
sums had been thrown away in felling the finest forest 
timber, thus inducing dryness in the soil, which had 
previously consisted of a rich mould. As in Coorg, the 
surface soil being swept away by the heavy rains, the 
coffee plants soon began to show signs of decay in 
withered leaves and swollen trunks. Hundreds of 
them were cut down and thrown away, being irre- 



102 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

trievably ruined by their insect foes, and it became ne- 
cessary to plant the charcoal tree and other fast-growing 
plants, to give the protection and secure the moisture 
formerly yielded by the primaeval forest. 

In the uncertainty as to the ultimate success of 
growing only coffee, some of the planters have turned 
their attention to the possibility of rearing cardamoms, 
pepper, and cinchona. The first of these is indigenous, 
the jungles specially devoted to it having hitherto 
been leased out, and the ordinary mode of procuring 
the spice being to fell some of the giant trees of the 
forest on the ghats, when the heads of the carda- 
mom spontaneously appear. It is also sown, but less 
commonly. The pepper vine grows naturally. Plants 
from the cinchona nursery on the Baba Budan Hill 
have been distributed in Manjarabad, and if the 
altitude is sufficient, which seems questionable, they 
will no doubt be successfully cultivated by the planters, 
as well as by the villagers. All the latter have small 
gardens, called Hittalu, attached to their houses, and 
as fever is frequently prevalent, it is expected that, in 
the absence of means for extracting the quinine and 
other essential compounds of the bark, the latter will 
itself be used in the shape of a decoction, a practice 
with which, in regard to other trees, Orientals are 
quite familiar. 

According to the latest returns, there are more than 
21,000 coffee plantations in Mysore, of which Euro- 
peans hold nearly 300 ; but, whereas the total area of 
estates occupied by natives is 78,000 acres, that of 
European estates is 33,000 acres, so that nearly all the 



BENifiPITS COXFERKED BY PLANTERS. — SHIMOGA. 103 



larger grants are held by Englishmen, and in many 
instances several estates are held by the same person. 

There is no doubt that the European planters have 
conferred an immense benefit upon Manjarabad and 
the adjoining sub-divisions where they have established 
themselves. The native landholders, averse to the 
curtailment of their own feudal powers, and fearing 
the consequences of their agrestic laborers quitting 
their employ, frequently regard with a jealous eye the 
colonization of their country by the interlopers. Never- 
theless, many of these have won their esteem and con- 
fidence. Cases of violence calling for the intervention 
of the officers of Government rarely occur, and the 
planters of Manjarabad are, as a body, gentlemanlike 
and considerate, and in every way entitled to the fullest 
support which the State can consistently give them. 
There is httle prospect, however, of their ever realising 
the brilliant fortunes that at one time dazzled their 
eyes by anticipation. 

NAGAR DIVISION. — SHIMOGA. 

The Shimoga district contains an area of 4,650 
square miles, has a population of 430,000, and a 
revenue of 167.000/. It formed, together with the 
Kadoor district, which is now separated from it for 
administrative purposes, the kingdom of Ikkeri or 
Bednor. It comprises plain country, a submontane 
tract, and the malnacl 1 or purely hill region, the 
features of all of which differ greatly, as well as the 

1 Kanarese, 1 Mala/ a liill, and 1 Nad/ a division of hill country. 



104 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

character of the people who inhabit them. Of its nine 
sub-divisions, four constitute the malnad proper, namely, 
Sagar, Nagar, Kaulidrug, and Anantpur, while Chen- 
nagere and Honali are mostly open country, and the 
remaining three partake of the characteristics of the 
other divisions according to their proximity to or 
remoteness from the wooded hills of the west or the 
level plains to the east. The distinction referred to is, 
however, at best arbitrary, as there is little uniformity 
in the surface of any portion of the country. 

The Chennagere sub-division was formerly in the 
possession of the Palegars of Tarikere, in the Kadoor 
district, who belong to the Bedar caste, and who built 
forts here and at Baswapatam, a fertile and picturesque 
tract adjoining. Their principal temple seems to have 
been at Sante Bennur, a town reputed to be the most 
salubrious place in this part of Mysore. The temple 
was, however, destroyed by the Musalmans, who used 
its stones to construct a handsome mosque of great 
size on the site. The Palegar, whose god had been 
thus insulted, suddenly attacked Sante Bennur with a 
force of 1,000 men, massacred all the Muhammadan 
population, and polluted the mosque with swine's 
blood, since which desecration it has been abandoned. 
It was, however, occupied for a time by British troops 
after the fall of Seringapatam. 

In the centre of Chennagere is the Sulekere lake, 
which, when full, is five miles long and twenty miles 
round, being probably the finest reservoir in Southern 
India, except the Kammam tank in the Kadapa district 
of Madras. It was built, it is said, many hundred 



GREAT SULEKEKE TAKK. 



105 



years ago by a courtesan ( 4 Stole,' a courtesan, and 
' kere,' a tank, in Kanarese). The local legend asserts 
that this woman was a king's daughter, who, having 
formed a connection with some divinity, built, as an 
expiatory act, the tank, which submerged the town of 
her father, who cursed her as a prostitute. The work 
is a very fine one, as the reservoir receives the drainage 
of twenty square miles, all of which pours into the 
gorge where it is built. The embankment is of no 
great length, the defile between the adjacent hills being 
narrow, but it is of stupendous width, height, and 
strength, though not quite straight. It has resisted 
successfully the floods of centuries, but owing to the 
great pressure of the volume of the water in the tank, 
the difficulty of properly working with rude plugs the 
enormous sluices was immense, and the latter in course 
of time became much injured, and could not be utilised. 
Of the two sluices, that to the north was called the Sidd- 
hana, and that to the south the Basava, and both were 
in bad order. During the drought, which a few years 
ago prevailed, advantage was taken of the circumstance 
to repair the sluices, which a man could pass through 
with ease, although the first adventurer was encountered 
by a cobra on entering the northern one. The channels 
had also fallen into disrepair, and the great extent of 
land immediately below the tank (reputed to be more 
than 20,000 acres) was covered by a dense date jungle ; 
so that the vast supply of water afforded by this 
magnificent reservoir flowed uselessly away to the river 
Tungabhadra, near Harihar. When the channels, 
which are now in hand, are fully repaired, hundreds of 



106 MYSORE, HISTOEICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

acres of sugar-cane can be grown under them, and the 
feverish jungle, which is now dreaded by cultivators, 
will give place to smiling gardens. It is, in fact, one 
of the few irrigation projects of modern days in Mysore 
which is likely to prove highly profitable. It is a 
remarkable fact that, notwithstanding the damaged 
state of the sluices, and the great force of the water 
when escaping through them, the embankment has 
always remained firm and uninjured, a satisfactory 
proof of the solidity of the structure. 

On the western side of the Chennagere sub-division, 
the Bel fruit is found growing wild, but though abun- 
dant and highly astringent, it does not seem to have 
the same useful properties, when employed to cure 
dysentery, as the cultivated species. An osier, called 
the Ambadi, also grows abundantly, from which ropes 
are made by steeping the plant in water. The fibre is 
very strong, and is preferred to coir rope. About two 
rupees' weight is yielded by each plant, and the manu- 
facture is largely exported. 

The Honali sub-division is also a plain country, having 
little jungle, save in the vicinity of a small range of hills 
which separates it from Chennagere, while the crops 
raised in it are similar to those produced to the east- 
ward. The town of the same name, which is situated 
on the Tungabhadra river, formerly belonged to an 
Afghan family, whose representative still resides there. 
The first Nawab, a Jamand Afghan by descent, was 
named Abd ul Nabi Khan, and was an officer of the 
Court of Delhi. He settled in the Dharwar district, 
where he, as well as the Savanur Nawab, with whom 



DECADENCE OF MUSALMAN NOBLES. — SHIMOGA. 107 



he was connected, received an estate from the emperor. 
The two chiefs, as also the Nawabs of Karnul and 
Kadapa, took a prominent part in the struggles for 
supremacy which characterised the troubled period 
after the extinction of the Vijayanagar dynasty, but 
the last two houses are now extinct. The Savanur 
Nawab has held his own, and is still of some local 
importance, but the Honali chiefs, after the death of 
NawabKutab-ul-Mulk during the siege of Seringapatam, 
sank into insignificance, and now possess little but a 
barren title. In fact, the Musalman families which 
once played so conspicuous a role in the history of 
Southern India, have lost all their former importance, 
and, with the exception of the Carnatic Princes of 
Arcot, there are but three Musalman chiefs of any 
note in the Madras Presidency, namely, the Eaja of 
Cannanore, the Nawab of Masulipatam, and the 
Jagfrdar of Banganpilli. 

Shimoga, which gives its name to the whole district, 
is one of those sub-divisions which partake alike of the 
features of the open country and of the hills, the 
western and south-western parts being covered with 
deep jungle. The town contains 16,000 inhabitants, 
and is the head-quarters of the Nagar division and of 
the Shimoga district, which has given it a certain 
importance, though the unhealthily ess of the place and 
the absence of any thriving trade, militate against its 
population increasing rapidly. The majority of the 
people are poor, and are greatly under Brahmanical 
influence. The town is situated on the Tunga river, a 
fine stream with a rocky bed, which was successfully 



108 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

bridged about twenty years ago, while, about the same 
time the sister river, the Bhadra, was bridged at 
Benkipur, twelve miles distant. The two streams 
unite at Kudli, about halfway between Shimoga and 
Honali, and previously to their being bridged, the 
access to Shimoga was very difficult in the rainy 
season, the rivers being crossed by basket boats, called 
' donis,' a kind of coracle, which is liable to be upset 
in transit. Although this inaccessibility had a pre- 
judicial effect upon trade, it added, in former days 
materially to the strength of the Nagar country, while 
the formidable mountain ranges to the west and the 
south, were an insurmountable barrier to an invading 
foe. During the wars with Tippu Sultan, Shimoga was 
attacked, however, by the Mahrattas, under Parsuram 
Bhao, who ruthlessly plundered the country, and left 
marks of devastation from which the people have 
scarcely yet recovered. The extinction too of the 
Ikkeri dynasty appears to have operated prejudicially 
upon the vitality of the whole Nagar territory. 

In the eastern parts of the Shimoga sub-division, dry 
crops are produced, in the centre, both these and rice, 
and to the west, the latter only. The common Kana- 
rese name for rice land is c gadde,' and to this in the 
central parts, is attached what is called the £ hankal,' 
on which unirrigated crops are grown, such as various 
kinds of millet, beans, grain, castor-oil plants, &c. 
Garden-land, producing cocoa-nuts and betel-nut, is 
found under tanks, but the latter is of an inferior 
quality to that grown in the Malnad. 

To those who are fond of shooting, Shimoga is a 



SHIKARPUR. GREAT MASUR MADAK EESEEVOIE. 109 

favourite station, as in the neighbourhood, tigers, 
leopards, and bears are not uncommon, while bison are 
sometimes met with ; though more rarely than for- 
merly. Spotted deer, jungle sheep, and antelope 
abound in some places, but the elk does not often come 
so far to the eastward. 

Shikarpur adjoins Shimoga. The northern part 
borders on Dharwar and is open, while in the southern 
part, heavy jungle prevails. It is a fertile sub -division, 
sugar-cane being grown to a large extent, together 
with various other crops of a superior kind. In the 
low jungle, not far from Shikarpur, tigers are common. 
On the frontier is a magnificent reservoir, called the 
Masur Madak tank, the embankment of which forms 
the boundary between Mysore and Dharwar. It was 
constructed by some influential chief, who conceived 
the idea of storing up the accumulated waters of the 
Kumadvati river, which, at this point, cut its way 
through a gorge in a low range of hills. An Arabic 
inscription records the repairs effected by the Savanur 
Nawab. The embankment is of immense height and 
strength (a female having, it is said, been immolated 
to ensure its stability), and the old sluice of colossal 
size ; but, in course of time, the river, when in flood, 
burst through the barrier, and carried away a portion 
of it. Ten years ago the Bombay Government under- 
took the repair of the sluice, though at a lower level 
than the original design, and a considerable amount of 
irrigation is now afforded by the tank to the neigh- 
bouring villages of Dharwar. It is believed, however, 
that it would be quite feasible to restore the whole 



110 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AXD DESCRIPTIVE. 

work, as originally planned, in which case an almost 
unlimited supply of water would be available, the old 
sluice being perhaps twenty feet higher than the 
modern one, so that the storage capacity of the tank 
would be vastly increased, the only obstacle being the 
submersion of Mysore villages, which would ensue on 
raising the level of the water-spread. 

In the north of the Shikarpur sub-division, near the 
thriving mart of Siralkoppa, is the ancient town of 
Belgami, which was formerly the seat of a Jain 
principality. There are three temples, dedicated to 
Kaiteshwara, Someshwara, and Tripurahanteshwara, 
all of which are richly carved, while in the interior of 
the latter is some beautiful stone screen-work. The 
architect is said to have been Jakanachari. It is 
probable that these temples, which are now devoted 
to the worship of the god Siva, as appears from their 
names, were originally dedicated to the worship of the 
Jain deities, as in the court-yard of the first there are 
no less than fifteen slabs, elaborately covered with 
ancient Kanarese characters, the stones in several in- 
stances being headed by groups of figures, which from 
the circumstance that the principal personage is repre- 
sented in a sitting attitude, cross-legged, are evidently 
of Buddhistic or Jain origin. All the temples have 
met with rough usage, apparently from the Musalmans ; 
but an attempt has been made to rescue the Shasanas 
from oblivion by having photographs taken of them. 
There are so few learned natives, however, who have 
an intimate acquaintance with the ancient Kanarese 
language, that it is a matter of great difficulty to secure 



S HAS AN A GRANTS. SORAB. KADAMBA DYNASTY. Ill 

an accurate translation of these old monuments, and 
the versions supplied cannot be deemed trustworthy. 
The ancient inscription discovered in the Begur temple, 
eight miles from Bangalore, was sent to various per- 
sons with a reputation for learning ; but none of them 
could decipher it. It was in the ancient Grantham 
character, and referred, seemingly, to the victories of a 
Eaja who was represented as engaged in a fierce 
combat with another chief, one being seated on an 
elephant, and the other on horseback, amidst a cloud 
of javelins and spears, hurled by themselves and their 
followers. This curious monument was purchased by 
Government, and deposited in the Bangalore museum. 

Sorab is another sub-division of a mixed character, 
the southern portion being covered with thick jungle, 
frequently found in isolated patches. These forests 
are called kans, and are partially cultivated with sago 
palms, pepper vines, and other products. They are 
generally attached to the holdings of the more sub- 
stantial farmers ; but the Government has the exclusive 
right to all large timber trees in them. The northern 
portion of Sorab is comparatively open, and is a rich 
country, producing sugar-cane in abundance, as also 
betel-nut. 

All this portion of the Shimoga district was in 
ancient days incorporated with the territory of the 
Kadamba kings, who ruled at Banawasi, in the Canara 
district. This town was called Kaumudi ; and near 
the temple of Madhukeshwara, which is said to be very 
old, there are eight or ten inscriptions, one of them in 
the Devanagari character. The Kadamba dynasty 



112 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

appears, in the earlier centuries of the Christian era, 
to have been one of the most powerful in southern 
India, and the position of their capita], Banawasi, on 
the Varda, was well chosen ; but they seem to have 
succumbed to the princes of the Belal race long before 
any authentic record is available. Their stronghold 
was, it is said, Chandraguti, or Chandragupti, so called 
from a legend that from its height it obscured the 
moon. It is a fine hill, near S6rab, of considerable 
height, and well fortified. There is a temple on it 
dedicated to Kenuka, mother of Parasuram, which is 
deemed very sacred, and where at certain times, under 
a curious overhanging rock, devotees, both male and 
female, worship naked. 

The town of Sorab is insignificant ; but it is one of 
the few places where sandalwood is carved. There 
are only a limited number of families who practise this 
art, the designs being mostly taken from the bas-reliefs 
on the famous Halibede temple, and other well-known 
sculptures of the same period. They manufacture 
boxes, boards fitted for albums, walking sticks, and 
various other fancy articles, the carving being very 
minute and delicate, and surpassing the workmanship 
of Bombay or Canton. The wood is, however, diffi- 
cult to carve, being extremely hard against the grain, 
and liable to split with the grain, so that great care is 
requisite in working it, and the labor is so tedious 
that few persons will engage in it. It is consequently 
a very expensive manufacture, boxes 18 inches 
long and 12 wide costing 20/. or 30/., and single 
boards hi. 



SAGAR. — CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES. 



113 



Sagar is the largest and most interesting sub-division 
of the district, the scenery being grand, the people 
peculiar, and the trade considerable ; while it contains 
the birthplace of the Naiks of Kiladi, better known, 
from their subsequent capital, as the Bednor dynasty. 
It is, par excellence, a hill country ; but, whereas there 
are heavy jungles on its eastern side, as one approaches 
the frontier, the forest gives place to a beautiful open 
region with grassy slopes, called 4 sholas,' and meadows 
called 'jacldu,' interspersed with patches of wood, 
betel-nut gardens, and rice flats. The Ghats which 
bound Mysore are mostly covered, however, with thick 
forests, abounding in haiga, wild jack, and poon trees, 
round some of which twine creepers, larger than a 
man's arm, coiling round the trees like gigantic Pythons. 
Splendid goni trees, larger than the largest oak, afford 
ample shelter to travellers under their dense foliage. 
The haral gurige, or gamboge tree, grows luxuriantly, 
and wild plantains, closely resembling in appearance 
the cultivated species, offer a feast to the monkies 
which abound on the hills. In the more open places, 
one sees the superb crimson flowers of the burga, or 
cotton tree, the red flowers of the polasha, used by 
Hindus while offering sacrifice, and the pretty white 
sitadandehu. 

In the thick woods, which abruptly terminate on 
verdant swards, bison are common, and issue forth in 
the early morn and the afternoon to browse on the 
rich herbage, while large herds of elk are occasionally 
seen, trotting or gallopping along the paths which they 
have made on the hill-side. Sometimes packs of 

I 



114 MYSOEE, HISTOEICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

wild dogs, which are very like the jackal, cross one's 
path in pursuit of deer, which they hunt down in 
company. In the highest trees is heard the boom of 
the great langur monkey, and, more rarely, one sees 
the -pretty black monkey of Malabar. Elephants 
traverse the jungles in small herds of ten or twelve, 
and sometimes do immense damage to the rice plants, 
which they tear up and devour at night to the dismay 
of the cultivators, who rarely attempt to snare or kill 
them. Tigers are not common, as they prefer the 
more open jungle to the eastward ; but they sometimes 
haunt particular hills, and are supposed to be the 
representatives of certain much-feared sylvan deities. 
In such cases, they frequently issue from their lair by 
day, and daringly carry off the cattle grazing on the 
hill, attacking or killing any herdsman who may have 
the courage to attempt to drive them away. Temples 
to the tiger god are met with in some places on the 
summits of the principal hills. The beautiful little 
mouse deer is often captured, and the western side of 
the Ghats produces many varieties of birds rarely met 
with elsewhere, such as the large red-headed wood- 
pecker. Jungle fowl abound in all the forests, but are 
very shy and wary. 

The whole of the great Ghat range, of which the 
Sagar hills form a part, is exposed to the full effects 
of the south-west monsoon, which rages with fury 
from June till the middle of August. Its approach is 
heralded in the early part of April by heavy thunder 
storms, which burst on the crest of the mountains, 
and with tremendous roar announce the end of the hot 



HEAVY KAINFALL. — FAMOUS GAIESOPPA CATARACTS. 1J5 

dry months. During April, and part of May, the 
weather is changeable, being sometimes cool, but more 
frequently oppressive. At the end of the latter month, 
the monsoon sets in, and blows nearly uninterruptedly 
till August, during which period heavy and continuous 
rain fails, the country being flooded by formidable 
torrents which cut off communication for days together, 
interrupt all trade, and isolate the different villages 
from one another. A perpetual mist hangs over hill 
and valley, the climate is damp and feverish, and the 
Malnad is a detestable place of sojourn to those not 
habituated to it from early childhood. 

After a lull in September, the north east monsoon 
generally brings with it a few heavy showers ; but 
these rarely last long, and when the weather clears up, 
the climate is delightful, 

Sagar is watered by numerous hill streams, the 
principal of which are the Vardd, and the Sherawati. 
The latter, after a course of about sixty miles, precipi- 
tates itself over the falls of Gairsoppa, which may 
truly be called one of the wonders of the world, for, 
though the volume of water is less than that of the 
Kaveri, the immense height of the chief fall is almost 
without a parallel. The country around is singularly 
wild and beautiful, the solitude adding a charm to the 
scenery. These celebrated falls are five marches, or 
sixty miles from Shimoga, there being a good road 
throughout, and are exactly on the frontier of Mysore 
and Bombay, The latter Government has built an 
excellent rest-house for travellers who come to visit 
the wonderful cataracts. The approach from Sagar is 

i 2 



116 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

very striking when the vista of hills, through which the 
Sherawati winds far below, opens to view. The best 
season for looking at the falls is the cold weather, 
when the river has subsided sufficiently to admit of 
one's crossing the stream to enjoy the view from 
the Mysore side ; but it is at all times a magnificent 
sight. 

On descending the hill on which the rest-house is 
built, and clambering over about 100 feet of the rocky 
bed, which, in high floods, is submerged, one arrives at 
the tremendous abyss down which the river is hurled ; 
and as the nature of the ground admits of one's ventur- 
ing to the very verge of the gulf, and peering down to 
its profoundest depths, the scene before one is truly 
appalling. The chasm forms a semi-circle of no very 
great width, notwithstanding its immense depth of 
830 feet, down which pours the great Eaja fall in one 
unbroken column. Half-way down, it is encountered 
by the Eoarer, another fall, which precipitates itself 
into a vast cup, and then rushes violently downwards, 
at an angle of 45°, till it meets its famous compeer. 
A third fall, called the Eocket, shoots downwards in a 
series of jets; while the fourth, called the Dame 
Blanche, is an Undine-like cascade, gliding quietly over 
the mountain side in a sheet of foam. To the natives 
of the place these splendid works of nature are known 
simply as the Jog, a Kanarese word for a waterfall, 
coupled sometimes with Kurkani, the name of the 
nearest village. Gairsoppa is a dozen miles off; so this 
name, as applied to the falls, is a misnomer. 

The height of the cataract was ascertained in a 



DARING EXPLOIT OF BOMBAY OFFICERS. 



117 



manner which evinced much ingenuity and daring. 
A party of officers of the Bombay navy contrived to 
fasten a rope to a tree on the further side of the 
chasm, and, drawing it taut on the Bombay side, 
launched on it a cradle, in which they placed them- 
selves, and. having hauled themselves out to the centre 
overhanging the abyss, they ascertained the depth of 
the fall by Jetting down a plumb line. 

It is possible to gauge the depth by throwing down a 
stone, and watching till it strikes the pool beneath, 
about eight seconds being occupied in the fall, but this 
method is of course uncertain, as it is difficult to fix 
with precision the exact moment when the bottom is 
reached. Anyone with a strong head can sit on the 
edge of the abvss, letting; his less dangle over it, and 
thus gaze down into the cauldron below ; but nervous 
people throw themselves at full length on the rock, 
and peep cautiously over the verge. 

To amuse visitors, the natives of the place light at 
night bundles of hay and throw them down the gulf, 
which is brilliantly lighted up for a time, the flaming 
mass gradually disappearing from sight till it seems 
only a small ball of lire in the abyss. Bockets and 
blue lights are also thrown in, and during their brief 
transit, illuminate for a few moments the vast depths, 
scaring, as they burst, the innumerable pigeons that 
build in the clefts of the rocks. 

The Bombay officers having plumbed the gulf, 
amused themselves by temporarily turning aside the 
stream above the Boarer fall, and letting themselves 
down into the cup into which it is precipitated, break- 



118 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

fasted there. They left a modest record of their 
plucky feat in the visitors' book, with a sketch of 
their operations, which some subsequent visitor had 
the bad taste to mutilate and disfigure. There is a 
charming view of the falls from the opposite side of 
the stream, at a place called Watkin's platform, and 
the adventurous visitor can also find his way to the pool 
at the bottom, but the ascent is extremely laborious, 
and the impression produced by gazing upwards at the 
cataracts is not to be compared with the enthralling 
and terrific view from the verge of the abyss. 

A few miles north of the town of Sagar, which is one 
of the great depots for betel-nut, the staple product of 
the Malnad, or hill country, is Kiladi, the ancient 
homestead of the Bedn6r family. The founder was a 
Malava by caste, one of the aboriginal races who are 
devoted to agriculture, and worship the god Siva, and 
who are common in this part of the country. This 
individual, whose name was Bhadrayya or Bhadrappa, 
is said to have discovered in 1560 A. D. a buried treasure, 
after having sacrificed, as a propitiatory offering, two 
slaves to his deity. Having visited Yijayanagar, to the 
king of which capital the hill country owned al- 
legiance, he obtained from the ruling sovereign, 
Sadasiva Baya, a grant of the Malnad and of part of 
the coast, on a feudal tenure. 

It is probable that, at this period, there were many 
petty Jain rulers of local importance, who had partially 
resisted, owing to the difficult nature of the country, 
the pretensions of the Anagundi kings. The chief of 
these was the ruler of Karkal below the Ghats. His 



KILADI DYNASTY. — ANCIENT JAIN RULERS. 119 

ancestor Jaindatta is said to have come from 
Mathura in Upper India, and to have established 
himself at Karkal about the year 1300, as an in- 
scription at that place, dated 1333-34, gives his 
name, his birthplace, and claims for him a Surajbansi 
descent. His son took the title of Bhairasu Wodiar, 
a Kanarese appellation, and for some time the family 
appears to have been feudatory to the Belal sovereigns. 
But, on the extinction of this dynasty, the Karkal 
chiefs, though retaining their Jain faith, were obliged 
to succumb, nominally at any rate, to the Vijayanagar 
or Anagundi kings. Thus, an inscription at Bedur or 
Haduwalli, in Canara, mentions the name of Devarasu 
Wodiar, son of Sangaraya Wodiar, as holding under 
Krishna Eaya of Vijayanagar in 1522-23. There is 
circumstantial evidence that this Jain family did come 
from Mathura, in the fact that their stronghold above 
the Ghats was called Govardhangiri, on the hill of 
Govardhan, a place near Mathura, which is well known 
in Hindu mythology. 

Jaindatta, on his first appearance in Mysore, appears 
to have settled at Hombucha or Hiimche, an ancient 
Jain colony, then at Sisila, and finally at Karkal. In 
the fort of Govardhangiri, which is about 1,800 feet 
above the sea, there is a temple, which was formerly 
devoted to the Jain worship, in front of which is a 
curious copper pillar, inscribed on all four sides with 
Kanarese writing. This, as well as a pair of Dwarpalkas 
or warders, also in copper, was brought from Gairsoppa, 
on the downfall of the Jain dynasty which had long 
ruled there, and deposited at Govardhangiri which was 



120 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

esteemed a place of great strength. It is in the re- 
motest corner of Mysore, and has rarely been visited by 
Europeans. It stands on a promontory, the rock on 
all sides being precipitous, save an approach from the 
south-east, which is limited to a narrow neck of land 
on which are two causeways called Sara, strongly 
fortified by outposts called ukhads, and with tremendous 
ravines on either side. A difficult path then leads 
down to a third causeway, above which towers up the 
fort on one side, while on the other a rugged and 
devious pass, commanded for some distance by the 
fortress, leads down to the plain country beneath. The 
fort is in fair repair, but is now deserted and over - 
grown with jungle, though the old pass is still used by 
traders, who carry down to Gairsoppa on pack-bullocks 
the rice grown in the upper country, which finds a 
ready sale. The road is frightfully steep and rough, 
and it is a marvel how any laden animal can traverse it ; 
yet 50,000 bullocks yearly descend and ascend it, 
carrying down grain and bringing up salt for con- 
sumption in the Malnad. 

The annexed pedigree gives the succession of the 
Naiks of Kiladi, down to the time of the subversion of 
the family by Haidar Ali. 

When Bhadrayya had received the investiture above 
referred to, he took the name of Sadasiva after his 
royal master, and began to strengthen his position by 
erecting a fort, but his successor, disliking Kiladi as a 
residence, transferred his capital to Ikkeri, a town a 
few miles south of Sagar, where are still to be seen a 
few traces of the fort and palace built by this chief. 



RISE TO POWER OF THE KILADI JNAIKS. 



121 



But, in 1639-40, Sivappa Naik, who was conducting 
the administration as regent, deeming Bednor to be the 
most eligible seat of government, owing to the strength of 
the position, fixed upon that place as the ruler's abode, 
and the dynasty reigned there for more than a hundred 
years with considerable prestige. Sivappa Naik as- 
cended the throne in 1648, and besides conquering the 
whole of the hill country, including the small fiefs held 
by the Jain chiefs, won for himself much renown as a 
ruler. The Vijayanagar dynasty had by this time be- 
come so weak, owing to the incursions of the Musalmans 
and the revolt of the Mysore Wodiar, that Sivappa Naik 
had no difficulty in asserting his independence, and in 
overrunning the Malnad, but it is more to his credit that 
he was the first of his race to introduce a settled form of 
government, some of the traces of which exist to this day. 

The rule of the successors of Sivappa Naik appears 
to have been wholly devoid of interest, although they 
retained their possessions in the hill country in despite 
of the rising power of the Hindu sovereigns of Mysore, 
with whom they frequently waged war. The chrono- 
logy attached to the pedigree now given, is some- 
what doubtful, as there are various versions of the 
descent of the successive chiefs, but the writer has in 
his possession the following grants issued by them, with 
the dates attached. 





A.D. 


Venkatappa 


. 1600 


Sivappa 


. 1651 


Bhadrappa . 


. 167 L 


Baswappa . 


. 1697 


Chermammaji 


. 1699 


Somas^khara 


. 1726 


Bucli Baswappa . 


. 1740 



122 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

Two of these grants, those by Sivappa and Bhad- 
rappa, are written on palm leaf, and the rest on paper, 
while they all refer either to assignments of land 
and money to particular individuals, or to the nomina- 
tion of the grantee to certain offices, for which a con- 
sideration had been paid to the sovereign. 

In 1763, the dynasty was subverted by Haidar Ali, 
who stormed Bednor, and seized the vast treasures that 
had accumulated there, from the time of Sivappa Naik. 
The Eani Yirammaji, with her adopted son Somasek- 
hara Naik, fled to Belalraidrug, a strong fortress built 
by one of the old Belal kings at the head of the Kudii- 
diikal pass, but, being surrounded by Haidar Ali's 
troops, she was taken prisoner and sent to Madagiri in 
the Toomkoor district, where she shortly afterwards 
expired. Her adopted son is supposed to have been 
killed, and the rule of the Naiks of Kiladi thus came to 
an end. 

The family were by caste Sivabhaktaru, that is, 
devotees of Siva, whose worship still prevails through- 
out the hill country, and all the high offices in the 
country were held by people of this persuasion, 
although the Naiks made liberal offerings to Brahmans. 
Since the restoration of the Hindu Eajas of Mysore, 
when the Malnad came for the first time under their 
direct rule, the Sivabhaktaru or Lingayats have lost all 
authority, their places having been usurped by 
Brahmans, who now hold most posts of importance. 

The Kiladi family distinguished themselves by 
planting along the roads which led to their capital 
avenues of the Dhiipada tree (Vateria Indica, or black 



DHUTADA TREES. PECULIAR LANDED TENURES. 123 

dammar). These superb trees, which will not grow in 
the plain country, excite the admiration of all visitors 
to the Gairsoppa falls, and will long remain to testify 
to the civilisation of the extinct dynasty. They yield 
a gum, and grow luxuriantly from young shoots in their 
native locality, but are not found on the Ghat ranges. 

It is not known what mode of assessment prevailed 
in the Malnad prior to the time of Sivappa Naik, but, 
as there are few villages in the country, it is probable 
that, as at present, it was divided into farms, called 
wargs, a certain number of which comprised what was, 
for the sake of convenience, called a village. The 
farmer held, besides rice land and betel-net gardens, a 
certain proportion of forest and grazing, for which he 
paid a lump sum to the state, and, subject to the 
periodical payments, had the power of selling and 
transferring his holding, a right unknown in the plain 
country, where, as in most parts of India, the sovereign 
is considered the proprietor. It may be safely as- 
serted that the existence of tenant right was never 
acknowledged by the old rulers of the soil in the 
plains, the occupants, excepting those holding land 
irrigated by tanks or wells and a few privileged 
proprietors, being regarded as tenants at will, who 
could at any time be ejected, their land being given 
to others. At the present day, if unirrigated land is 
required for railways, or other public purposes, there 
are few native rulers who would consider that any- 
thing more is necessary than to remit the assessment on 
the land, compensation to the occupant being deemed 
absurd. But, in the Malnad, or hill country, as also 



124 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

in Manjarabad, in Coorg, and on the Malabar coast, 
the proprietorship of the soil is vested in the farmer, 
and in the case of the latter, that is, Coorg and 
Malabar, it is known by the name of Jama or Janam 
tenure, signifying a birthright. 

The farmers of the Malnad hold tenaciously to their 
ancient rights, and some of them pay from 100/. to 
200/. yearly rental, but their position is not so good as 
it was in former days. The climate during the rainy 
season is very severe, and labor in the rice fields is 
extremely trying. All agricultural operations were 
consequently carried on by the Holiars, a low caste, of 
hardy and active habits, who were serfs on the farms, 
and whose ancestors had from generation to generation 
lived on the estates to which they were attached. 
They are identical with the agrestic kinds of Maujara- 
bad and Coorg, and their present freedom is much 
resented by their masters, whose estates are often only 
partially cultivated, owing to the difficulty of pro- 
curing laborers, when high prices and tempting offers 
from coffee planters allure away those upon whose 
exertions in the fields the prosperity of their farms de- 
pends. Such Holiars used to receive barely 45. a month 
from their feudal superiors, together with a blanket and 
some clothing, and presents on marriages and holidays, 
whereas planters pay them Ss. or 10s. monthly, so that 
the temptation to desert their masters is well nigh 
irresistible. 

Sivappa Naik, in order to ascertain what assessment 
the land of the Malnad would bear, cultivated under 
his own eyes various descriptions of soil, noting the 



SIVAPPA NAIK'S ASSESSMENT. — SUBSEQUENT ADDITIONS. 125 

quantity of seed sown within a given area, the out-turn 
of each crop, and the value at the selling rates. He 
then fixed the Government share at one-third of the 
gross produce, which is nominally the proportion de- 
termined in most modern settlements in India, and 
prescribed the rental payable by the several qualities of 
land. The basis of the system was the quantity of seed 
required to sow a certain extent of land, this mode of 
calculation being known as the Bijwari, from the 
Sanskrit word 'Bija,' a seed. The actual assessment 
was called the 4 Shisht,' and the total rental of a farm 
or village the 'Berij.' The valuation appears to have 
been moderate, but the equitable assessment fixed by 
Sivappa Naik was soon disturbed by his successors, who 
enhanced the sum payable, by adding various extra 
charges called ' Patti.' It was not difficult to find a pre- 
text for these extortions on charitable grounds, or on the 
plea of defensive operations ; but the result was that, in 
the time of Haidar Ali, the extra charge amounted to so 
large a sum that the patti stood to the shisht in the 
proportion of 1^, or thereabouts, to 4, or an addition 
of about one-third to the proper rental. This was no 
doubt far in excess of the real value of land, and, in 
consequence, the revenue commonly fell into arrears, 
while the balance, which yearly accrued on the un- 
cultivated portions of the farms, was held like the 
sword of Damocles over the head of the unfortunate 
proprietor, who, moreover, was unable to resign portions 
of his holding without throwing up the whole farm. 
Of late years, permission has been accorded to resign 
what cannot be cultivated, and the introduction of the 



126 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AM) DESCRIPTIVE. 

revenue settlement according to the Bombay system 
will speedily remedy existing defects and discrepancies ; 
but for the moment, the Malnad farmers are certainly 
not so well off as their fellows in the plains. This is, 
in a great measure, owing to the paucity of agricultural 
labourers, but also because the majority of the farmers 
are in the hands of money-lenders. 

The most remunerative produce of the hill country 
is betel-nut, from which the Mysore State yearly derives 
an income of about 45,000/. in the shape of excise. 
The original outlay on a betel-nut garden is however 
heavy, and it is said that sixteen years elapse before the 
trees yield any profitable return. The gardens are gene- 
rally formed between hills in a position protected from 
the winds, where there is an- abundant supply of water, 
of which there is no lack naturally for the most part 
in the Malnad. The trees are planted at regular in- 
tervals of from twelve to twenty feet, eighteen and a 
half feet being the ancient Ikkeri standard, and the 
ordinary nominal mode of assessment is to fix a certain 
valuation on each 1,000 trees ; but a comparison of 
the ruling rates shows the existence of a confused and 
arbitrary taxation, varying in every portion of the 
district in the most perplexing manner. In fact, the 
difficulty of remedying the abuses which had grown 
up in a long course of years was so great, that it was 
wisely resolved not to attempt any tinkering on un- 
certain data, but to leave the revision to the regular 
survey, which would apply a remedy on a well-defined 
and recognised basis. 

Other reasons have combined to affect unfavourably 



BETEL-NUT PLANTATIONS. CULTIVATOKS' DIFFICULTIES. 127 



betel-nut cultivation. The Mysore produce pays an 
excise duty,* whereas that of Bombay does not. There 
is no apparent reason why an article of pure luxury 
should not pay an excise, as tobacco does in England, 
and the sum raised (45,000/.) is too large to sacrifice 
heedlessly ; but the Mysore farmer naturally grumbles 
at the immunity from taxation enjoyed by his Bombay 
neighbours. 

Again, most of the cultivators are in the hands of 
money-lenders called Sutigidars, who advance, or pay 
on behalf of the farmers, the Government demand, 
taking the crop. The prices of betel- nut for the season 
in the low country at Walajapett, Arcot, and other 
places, is not fixed till May or June, when the whole 
extent of the year's crop is known, as well as its quality; 
but as the instalments of Government revenue fall due 
long before this time, the cultivator had either to dis- 
pose of his produce at a great disadvantage, or to 
borrow money in order to meet his obligations. This 
has been remedied by postponing the instalments to a 
time when the selling rates in the Madras Presidency 
have been ascertained. 

The betel-nut of the Malnad, called 'adike ' in Kana- 
rese, and 4 supiari ' in Hindusthani, is a very elegant 
endogenous tree, shooting up quite straight to a height 
of sixty feet, the fruit growing in bunches immediately 
underneath the spreading leaves at the top of the tree, 
like cocoa-nuts. The nuts are gathered by men, who 

* Nagar "betel-nut of the first quality pays a duty of 2s. 6d. on the 
maund of 24 pounds ; the second quality Is. 6d. ; and the third 9d. In 
the plain districts, the duty is only 0>d., but the nut grown in them is very 
inferior. 



128 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

swing themselves from one tree to another without de- 
scending, so that no time is lost in collecting the produce, 
which, after being boiled and split in two, is sent away 
in the winter months to the plains. In the intervals 
between the betel- nut trees, other products, such as 
jack-fruit, limes, plantains, &c, are grown, while the 
pretty pepper-vine is seen, twining round the lofty 
betel-nut, so that the appearance of the plantations is 
very picturesque, and brilliantly green. By far the 
best betel-nut is grown in the Malnad of the Kadoor 
district. 

As there are few cart-roads in the hill country, the 
betel-nut is generally carried on pack-bullocks and 
donkeys, of which large droves are brought in the cold 
weather months by gangs of Lambadis and Korchars, 
two of the wandering tribes, who have the reputation 
of combining with their more honest calling a predi- 
lection for thieving and gang robbery. The principal 
depots are Biiur in the Kadoor district, and Tipatur 
and Gubbi in the Toomkoor district, where reside the 
more wealthy merchants, who export the nut beyond 
the Mysore frontier. 

In the jungles which line the western ranges of the 
Sagar sub-division certain tribes of Mahratta descent 
used to carry on a species of cultivation called kumari, 
which is now strictly prohibited. It was their practice 
to fell the trees on a hill side, and after burning the 
jungle, to sow millet and some other crops which re- 
quire no irrigation. The return is large for a year or 
two, but the destruction of valuable timber is great, 
and the ground requires to be constantly changed. 

The principal castes in Sagar are the ITaiga or Havika 



JAIN FARMEES. 



129 



BrahmaiiSj who hold a great many of the betel-nut gar- 
dens, and are a grumbling and discontented people ; the 
Halepayaka, who, besides being agriculturists, have a 
good reputation as soldiers and sportsmen ; the Holiar 
or hereditary serfs, above mentioned ; and the Jains, 
of which interesting people a few members are found 
near the old passes of Govardhangiri and Hinni. They 
live in a very simple fashion, each on his own estate, 
but exercise considerable authority over their retainers. 
They export rice largely to the towns on the coast, and 
some of them are in easy circumstances. Their great 
desire seems to be to keep the Brahman officials at the 
furthest practicable distance, while few of these deli- 
cate gentry care to penetrate the wild and difficult 
country where the Jain farmers still preserve a faint 
trace of the former ascendancy of their race. The 
country, however, on their side, produces little but 
rice, and some pulse, the Jains never touching animal 
food of any description. They are not a powerful 
race ; indeed, all the people of the hill country are 
very inferior to the dwellers in the plains, in point of 
physical appearance and strength. This may, to some 
extent, be accounted for by the prevalence of fever, 
which, at certain seasons, is very common, and gene- 
rally attacks all new comers, so that, to the people of 
Bangalore or Mysore, service in the Malnad is equiva- 
lent to banishment, or to life in a penal settlement. 

The simple races who live in this remote and inac- 
cessible part of Mysore are ignorant and superstitious, 
and hold in reverential awe the spirits of the woods. 
In marching through the country one frequently sees 

K 



130 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AKD DESCRIPTIVE. 

in the heart of the forest singular sheds erected over 
deserted white-ant hills, inside which are deposited 
numerous little horses of wood and clay, many of which 
have riders on them. Such a shed is called a 4 jetga- 
mane,' or spirit-house, and is dedicated to the local 
deity, Bir Devaru, or JSTagappa, in whose honor a fes- 
tival is held yearly in the month of February, when the 
curious hobby-horses referred to are offered to propi- 
tiate the sylvan snake-god, to avert murrain among 
cattle, and to secure offspring. It is not improbable 
that serpents do often take up their abode in old ant- 
burrows, and are therefore feared with good reason. 
These strange temples of nature are reverenced by the 
Jains among others. 

The sub-division of Nagar closely resembles Sagar, 
but is more hilly, and less easy of access. Nagar, the 
capital of the Kiladi or Ikkeri princes, originally bore 
the name of Bidururu, or bamboo-town, from 6 biduru,' 
a bamboo, and ' uru,' a town, and is still surrounded 
by thick forests of this useful tree. That which con- 
stituted its strength in olden time, namely, its secluded 
and strong position, has in these clays proved its bane. 
When there were no roads anywhere, and, consequently, 
no carts, all the produce of the country was exported 
on pack-bullocks, which, with immense labor and 
many casualties, managed to scramble down the natural 
gorges in the hills, which here and there, in the most 
difficult places, were paved with flights of steps. At 
the present time the plain country is covered with a 
net work of roads, but the communications in the hills 
are worse than they used to be, as the old passes have 



DIFFICULT PASSES. — TOWN OF NAGAR. 



131 



never been kept in proper repair since the subversion 
of the Ikkeri dynasty, while the gradients on them 
are so severe, that it is impracticable to convert them 
into roads fitted for cart traffic. Three new Ghat routes 
have, indeed, been opened in the Shimoga district, 
namely, the Gairsoppa, Kolur, and Agumbi roads, and 
these are of great service ; but the internal communi- 
cation is still defective, and cultivators who live in 
immediate proximity to the old passes, prefer to use 
these, steep and rugged though they be. 

The principal of these passes is Haidargarh or Hosan- 
gadi, about twelve miles from the town of Nagar, the 
worst portion of which is so frightfully rough, steep, 
and slippery, that it is a marvel how laden bullocks 
can possibly climb up it. This particular point is called 
the 4 Ane Jeri,' or Elephant's Drop, from a tradition 
that one of these animals here fell over the precipice. 
There are remains of fortified places at the summit, and 
at various convenient places on the pass, which made 
the approach to the capital well nigh impracticable to 
an enemy, while these outposts constituted also the 
toll-gates, where duties were levied on all exports and 
imports. It has recently been proposed to make a new 
road over the hills near the Haidargarh pass, a good 
line with an easy gradient having been traced for the 
purpose, and the points of departure and arrival being 
the same as those of the ancient route. This will be 
of great benefit to the country, but the engineering 
difficulties are not small, while labor is hard to get. 

The town of Nagar presents a melancholy picture of 
decay. It is said once to have had 100,000 inhabitants, 

K 2 



132 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



but. after its capture byHaidar Ali, it gradually dwindled 
away, till it has become an insignificant village, contain- 
ing only 300 houses. Its prosperity depended so inti- 
mately on the presence of the Ikkeri prince and his 
court, that the extinction of the rule of that family and 
the subjection of the territory to the Seringapatam 
ruler, had necessarily a depressing effect upon the people 
and upon trade. The town in 1763, when it was 
stormed by Haidar Ali, was undoubtedly w r ealthy, and 
a rich booty was acquired by the conqueror, which laid 
the foundation of his future fortune ; but there is no 
trace now of former grandeur, except a few ruins of the 
palace and deserted gardens. The place lies in the 
centre of a basin of thickly- wooded hills, at a few points 
in which there are openings communicating by steep 
and rough-paved steps with the country beyond, so 
that no wheeled vehicle can enter the town. Fortifica- 
tions crest all the hills, and a second line of outworks 
at some miles' distance gave further security to the 
capital. In troublous times, such as formerly prevailed, 
it may well be imagined that traders resorted in large 
numbers to a capital which afforded them ample pro- 
tection, so that it became the chief mart, not only for 
the rice, but also for the betel-nut cultivation of the 
hills. It is impossible to restore its lost prestige, but 
something has been done of late years to assist trade 
by opening new roads, and it has been proved that an 
excellent approach to the town can be easily made, at 
no great cost. 

The town had several gateways, of which one was 
named the Delhi, and another the Kodial or Mangalore 



PO'ismiEXT or ckimixals. — kodachadki hill. 133 



gate. Of the latter an amusing story is told that, on the 
late Raja's visiting Nagar, on his return from a pilgrim- 
age to Udipi on the coast, the Amildar, or local official, 
being apprehensive that his highness's elephant could 
not pass through the gate, broke down the upper por- 
tion. Unfortunately for this zealous individual, the 
Raja made his entry in a palankeen instead of on an 
elephant, and the Amildar was publicly flogged for 
having acted without orders. Worse punishments than 
this were, however, inflicted in the time of the Ikkeri 
chiefs, for one may still see. on the so-called Shula bat- 
tery hill, a hole in the ground, in which was inserted a 
pole for impaling criminals, who were hoisted up and 
exhibited in terrorem to the whole population. It does 
not appear, however, that the Ikkeri princes were 
more tyrannical or despotical than their neighbours ; 
and the memory of some of them, and particularly of 
Sivappa Xaik. is still preserved with respect in the 
country, while the people were probably in better cir- 
cumstances under their rule than when subject to the 
Musalman sovereigns of Mysore, or even to the late 
Raja's government. 

About ten miles north-west of Nagar there is a re- 
markably line peak called KodacMdri, 4,111 feet above 
the sea, and a conspicuous landmark. The mountain 
is more than 2,000 feet above the level of the villages 
below, and is clothed with splendid forests, but the 
ascent is very steep indeed in one place near the foot. 
When ascended by the writer the barometer stood at 
the bottom of the hill at 28'10 at S a.m., and on the 
summit at 10 a.m. at 25'92. Bangalore having a mean 



134 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

of 27°, representing a height of 3,031 feet, Kodachadri 
is consequently 4,111, as remarked. The view from 
the top of the hill, which has a bluff appearance from 
a distance, though it is as sharp as a knife in reality, 
is very fine, commanding a long stretch of the great 
Ghat range, a considerable portion of Canara, and a 
wide view over the Malnad. The ascent is about three 
miles, and the mountain is easily reached from ISTaga- 
wadi, the head of the Koliir Ghat, where there is a 
rest-house for travellers, and whence it is only four miles 
distant. It is a peculiar feature of the highest peaks 
in the Mysore Ghats that the summit is a narrow ridge, 
with a precipice on either side, — so narrow indeed is 
the top of Kodachadri, that in some places the ridge is 
only 12 feet across. As in many other instances, the 
stones on the top have magnetic properties, and at once 
affect a compass, if held over it. 

A small isolated strip of country in the Nagar sub- 
division, called Hanar, belongs to the British Govern- 
ment. It was given as an endowment to the Kolur 
pagoda in the Canara district, but, being an integral 
part of Mysore, ought not to have been included in the 
schedule of territories assumed by the English after the 
fall of Seringapatam in 1799. 

The people of Nagar resemble those of Sagar, but 
there are few Jain farmers of note, though there is an 
old colony of this sect at Humcha, where their priest 
resides. 

A very rough march of fourteen miles over broken 
and stony ground, and with numerous ascents and de- 
scents, takes one to Kaulidrug, which gives its name to 



MOUNTAIN" PATHS. KAULIDRUG. 



135 



the sub-division south of Nagar, though the present 
head-quarters are at Tirthhalli, a nourishing town on the 
river Tunga and on the Agunibi Ghat road. A great 
part of the march is paved, but, however convenient 
this may have been in former days to people on foot, 
carrying heavy loads in the rainy season over slippery 
ground, the mounted traveller finds to his disgust that 
the broken and uneven pavement soon causes his horse 
to cast his shoes, and as there are no farriers in the hill 
country, he must, if he has not learnt the trade, content 
himself with walking, leaving his steed to be led. In 
truth, so bad are the paths, except along the main 
lines, in the Malnad, that even pack-bullocks cannot 
traverse them, and the beasts of burden in use are the 
men of the country. 

The old town of Kaulidrug is prettily situated on a 
lake, above which towers an ancient fort of consider- 
able size and strength, built by Sadasiva Naik, though 
fable assigns its construction to the mythical Pandavas. 
There is a curious block of stone in the old palace, eight 
feet long and seven feet wide, called the 6 Eani's Cot.' 
It is well carved, and has on it an inscription showing 
that it was made in the year Bhava (1694 or 1754, 
probably the former). The isolated position of Kauli- 
drug in the centre of a difficult country has led to its 
abandonment, Tirthhalli having taken its place. Its 
ruins and those of Arga testify to its former importance, 
while the beautiful avenues of the Dhupada tree give 
an attractive appearance to the country, which is natu- 
rally rich, producing excellent betel-nut and abundance 
of rice. To the eastward are fine forests of teak, which 



136 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

clothe all the sides of the hills down to the Tunga, 
which, at Tirthhalli, only forty miles from its source, is 
already, owing to its numerous affluents, a formidable 
river, and difficult to cross except in the dry season. 
At that time of the year one can step over the great 
boulders in the bed, the difficult places, where there is 
a rush of water, being temporarily bridged over by 
benevolent Brahmans, partly out of charity, and partly 
to enable pilgrims to perform their ablutions in the 
sacred stream, from which they themselves derive a 
profit. There are two maths, or monasteries, close to 
the town of Tirthhalli, so that every facility is afforded 
to devotees to comply with their religious obligations. 

The natural productions of Kaulidrug resemble those 
of Nagar, but, in addition to sandalwood, which is found 
in the more open parts, though of inferior quality to 
the Mysore wood, the coffee-plant begins to make its 
appearance. There is a prejudice on the part of the 
natives against growing this plant in the country farther 
north, arising from a superstitious feeling that its culti- 
vation will bring them bad luck, nor have the few 
farmers who have ignored their fears been very success- 
ful, as the soil and climate appear unsuitable. 

Those who possess betel-nut gardens bestow great 
pains in fencing in private woods, which are strictly 
preserved for the sake of the leaves of the trees 
growing in them, these being extensively used in 
manuring the betel-nut. Such enclosures are known 
by the name of Hadia and are numerous, evidencing 
careful cultivation on the part of the proprietors. In 
singular contradistinction to this, one cannot but com- 



PEIVATE WOODS. — ANCIENT GKANT. 137 

ment upon the reckless way in which the people in all 
parts of the country suffer their cattle to stray into the 
gardens of European coffee- planters, a loose practice 
which they carefully guard against when their own 
interests are concerned, as above brought to notice. 
Coffee has not been planted with much success in 
Kaulidrug however, as the jungles are too dense to 
the east, and the Ghats near Agumbi are fearfully 
exposed to the full force of the south-west monsoon, 
which brings a deluge of rain with it. In the forest 
ranges which here bound Mysore, cardamoms grow 
wild, as also cinnamon, but the latter is of a poor 
description and not worth cultivating. 

In Kaulidrug, the majority of the landholders of 
influence are Brahmans of various sects, the worship- 
pers of Siva or Lingayats being few in number, while 
there are no Jains of importance. 

The Anantpur sub-division is not specially inter- 
resting. Part of it is covered by thick woods, and 
there are magnificent avenues in it of the Dhupada 
tree. Some of the finest villages are held by Brah- 
mans on a rent-free tenure, the grants having been 
made many hundred years ago by the Vijayanagar 
sovereigns, and being mostly on copper plates. One, 
in the possession of the Brahmans of Gautama 
Agrahar professes to have been given at Harihar by 
Janmejaya, son of Parikshit of the Somavansi tribe and 
of the royal race of Hastinapura or Deihi. 

The town of Anantpur is on the high road from 
Shimoga to the Gairsoppa falls, and is encompassed by 
thick bamboo jungle which, beautifully green as it is, 



138 MYSOKE, HISTOEICAL AKD DESCRIPTIVE. 

soon becomes monotonous, while it has the reputation 
of being extremely unhealthy. 

KADOOE. — (EacUr.) 

The Kadoor district has an area of 7,023 * square 
miles, a population of 262,000, and a revenue from all 
sources of 99,000/. It contains only seven sub-divi- 
sions, of which three, Koppa, Wastara, and Lakku- 
walli, form the Malnad or hill country, while the other 
four, namely, Chikkamugalur, Kadoor (Kadiir), Tari- 
kere, and Band-war are comparatively open country, 
though even in these there are several ranges of low 
hills. In the mountain tracts, the scenery is exceed- 
ingly fine, and is probably in its savage grandeur as 
picturesque as any part of southern India. Three of 
the higher hills in it are more than 6,000 feet above 
the sea. 

The Koppa sub-division is intersected by the Tunga 
river, which is here, near its source, a beautiful swift- 
flowing mountain stream, of considerable depth in the 
rainy season, and abounding in fine fish. It runs past 
the celebrated shrine of Sringiri or Sringagiri, where 
resides one of the most venerated Hindu priests. This 
Guru, whose name is JSTarsinghachari, is the successor 
and representative of the famous sectarian Shankar- 
achari, whose doctrines are widely spread throughout 
southern India, and who is said to have exterminated 
the Jain religion. Owing to the extended influence 
which he possesses, the Swami is called by his dis- 

* Not reliable. 



THE SRINGIEI GURU. 



139 



ciples the Jagat Guru, or the teacher of the world, 
his followers asserting for him a superiority to 
all other religious preceptors. He is the venerated 
high priest of all Hindus holding the Smarta faith, 
whose doctrines are handed down in writing from 
recollection (Smriti), as distinguished from mere tra- 
dition (Sruti). The principal tenet of the Smartas is 
that everything in the world is illusion or may a, and 
that there is no reality in what we see, which led a 
sagacious Brahman, who was asked to contribute to- 
wards the expenses of the Sringiri Guru, to observe 
that, if all the world was illusion, the Guru himself 
must be an illusion, and therefore that it was absurd 
to expect him to pay anything to a non-entity. 

Narsinghachari is an ascetic and a celibate, living 
very simply, his diet being, it is said, exclusively milk. 
His manner and address are good, and besides having 
a great reputation as a Sanskrit scholar, he speaks with 
fluency Kanarese, Tamil, and Telugu, and has a fair 
knowledge of the Mahratta and Hindusthani lan- 
guages, having, in his younger days, travelled much. 
He wears a tiara like the Pope's, covered with pearls 
and jewels, said to have been given to him by the Peshwa 
of Poona, and a handsome necklace of pearls. On his 
feet he has sandals covered with silver, with the usual 
peg between the great toe and the next toe. He is 
about seventy-five years old, and has adopted as his 
successor a boy to whom he has given what is called 
the ' upadesa,' that is, the religious instruction in the 
sacred rites which qualifies him to assume the func- 
tions of Guru. This youth accompanies him in all 



140 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

his periodical tours, receiving all the tokens of respect 
which are due to the successor of so famous a 
preceptor. 

On these circuits, Narsinghachari travels in great 
state, riding in an adda palankeen, that is, one which 
is carried crossways, thus preventing any other con- 
veyance from passing him in a narrow road. An 
elephant is always in attendance, for the sake of effect, 
and a numerous cortege of Brahmans and disciples 
accompanies the Guru wherever he goes, all the 
Hindu inhabitants of a town being obliged to turn out 
to welcome him on arrival, a mark of respect from 
which even the Eaja himself is not exempt. 

On the few occasions when he has visited European 
officials, it has been necessary to receive him either 
under a tree or in a pandal (a temporary erection of 
boughs and leaves supported by poles), as nothing 
would induce so holy a personage to enter a house or 
a tent which has been polluted by the presence of 
Mlechas, or outcasts, as all Europeans are in the eyes 
of Hindu priests. The building where he receives 
return visits from Europeans is a stifling little hole, 
which no doubt needs extensive purification after- 
wards, but he is very polite, and, though he never 
shakes hands, that being out of the question, he gene- 
rally presents consecrated rice and cocoa-nuts colored 
with turmeric, which is considered a high honor. An 
amusing story was told of his visit to the writer in 
1864, to the effect that various dishes of meat and 
other unorthodox food were presented to him, which, 
by a few magical words, he changed into fruit and 



THE SRINGIRI GURU. NIMAR. 



141 



flowers, a fiction for which, of course, there was no 
foundation; 

As a mark of his rank, he is accompanied when he 
travels by an honorary guard of ten men of the Mysore 
Horse, a distinction which, however gratifying it may 
be to his pride, is of little use in these peaceful days 
for his defence, while it is rather provocative of a 
collision with intolerant Musalmans. 

The Sringiri Math is in the centre of a fertile tract, 
which is held rent-free, having been bestowed on a 
former Guru about 400 years ago by one of the Vijay- 
anagar sovereigns. It has a rental from all sources of 
about 5,000/., besides which the establishment holds 
several isolated villages, and the Guru receives 1,0 00Z. 
a-year in cash from the Eaja. Notwithstanding this 
large income, the Math is said to be in debt, in which 
respect it does not differ from other similar institutions. 
To replenish his empty exchequer, Narsinghachari is 
in the habit of making frequent and protracted tours, 
in order to levy contributions from his disciples ; but he 
complains greatly of their want of faith in these per- 
verse times, and of the stinginess shown by them in their 
donations. 

Leaving Sringiri, one passes through a neat village 
called Yidyaranyapur, inhabited by Brahmans, all the 
houses nearly being . painted red, and, following the 
course of the Tunga, arrives at Nimar, where an 
adventurous officer formed a coffee plantation under 
the Suji Gudda, or Magnet Hill, in the heart of a very 
wild country. The scenery is lovely, but wild, and so 
difficult are the communications and so scanty the 



142 MYSOEE, HISTOKICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

means of subsistence, that nearly all the trade is in 
the hands of two Brahrnans residing near the Kig 
mountain. 

A very rough and difficult march of nine miles, 
over rocks and stones and numerous small streams, 
takes oue to Kerre, a village of twenty houses, and the 
last inhabited place towards the great Ghats. There 
is an old pass here, under the bluff side of the Wolkonji 
hill, but it is in a frightful state and is little used. 

A final march of nine miles, with many steep ascents, 
leads to Granga Mula, the source of the Tunga and 
Bhadra rivers. The exaggerated account given by 
natives of the difficulty of reaching this spot, has led 
to a general belief that it is inaccessible, and to a wild 
fable that the two rivers issue from the tusks of a 
boar, the hill where they rise being called the Varaha 
Parvat, or boar hill, from a tradition that it was visited 
by the boar incarnation of Vishnu. It is in truth a 
wild country, and has a desolate grandeur about it, 
seeming to be the end of the world. On every side 
tower up magnificent mountains, spreading for leagues 
in every direction, and covered with immense forests, 
while nowhere can one detect the faintest trace of 
human life, either in the shape of houses or of culti- 
vation. Prominent among the higher hills are the 
Kuduremukha to the south, the beautiful Kalasa peak, 
and an immense mass of mountain called Angrikal. 
Ascending the Varaha Parvat, one reaches the spot 
where trickles out the tiny stream of the Bhadra, while, 
in another part of the hill, issues its sister the Tunga, 
their sources being held in great veneration by the 



SOURCES OF THE TUXGABHADKA. WILD SCENERY. 143 



few pilgrims who have had the courage to penetrate 
these wilds. The two streams meet about 100 miles 
from their joint source at Kudli in the Shimoga sub- 
division. There is a third stream, the Netravati, which 
natives imagine to rise at the same place as the other 
two ; but this is an error, for, as it flows westward 
towards Mangalore, it is obvious that it cannot run up 
hill, and that its source is on the other side of the 
Ghat range. 

A pious pilgrim, many years ago, being desirous of 
leading an ascetical life in this wild region, commenced 
building a temple, and had already erected a dwelling 
for himself, when some marauding Moplas from Canara, 
clhnbinsr the mountains and discovering his retreat, 
pillaged his house, so the unfortunate man quitted the 
desolate spot, leaving behind him the ruins of his abode, 
and the unfinished temple, of which the foundations 
still remain, with an image which he brought from 
Kalasa. 

The head-quarters of the Koppa sub-division are at 
Hariharapur, a flourishing town on the Tunga river, 
which, however, is unbridged, so that during the rainy 
season, the rapid stream, with its high banks, is a 
formidable obstacle to traffic. Hariharapur is on a 
second road to the Agumbi Ghat, running through the 
northern portion of the Kadur district, and meeting the 
other line which passes through Tirthhalii, at the town 
of Agumbi. 

A trip of four marches through a wild but most 
beautiful country, takes one from Hariharapur to the 
southern limit of the Nagar Malnad, part of the line 



144 MYSOEE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

being in the Koppa and part in the Wastara sub- 
division. As one ascends the steep hills which lead to 
the great saddle that separates the Tunga and the 
Bhadra, one enjoys splendid views of the fine 
mountain scenery which gives such a charm to a 
tour in the west of Mysore, while virgin forests of grand 
timber trees are contrasted with the rich betel-nut 
gardens which on all sides meet the eye. The woods 
abound in birds, including hornbills, woodpeckers, 
parrots, doves, jungle fowl, and a beautiful little bird 
with two long white tail feathers, which utters a shrill 
cry of ' tret, tret.' Mouse-deer, and the large red squirrel 
are common. In the thick mists which hang about in 
the early morning in the vicinity of the bamboo forests 
which shut in the Bhadra, one sees myriads of spider 
webs glistening in the dew, some of them of immense 
size. 

The climate is notably damp, so much so indeed that 
at Bugunji, one of the principal places where the excise 
on betel-nut is levied, the people, during the rains, keep 
all their grain and other perishable articles in immense 
long boxes, like exaggerated coffins. Fever is rife 
at certain seasons, and the country is dreaded by those 
not inured to it from early childhood. To a delicately 
nurtured native of Bangalore, the tremendous forests, 
full of wild beasts and devils, and the terribly steep 
hills, each apparently loftier than the other, which he 
is obliged to climb, are a source of unmitigated disgust 
and terror, while he is cut off entirely from his little 
luxuries, and, instead of travelling at ease in his 
favourite bullock coach, must trudge the whole way. 



DIFFICULT COMMUNICATIONS. 



145 



Several years ago, an excellent trace of a new road 
was made between the towns of Hariharapur and 
Wastara, bnt the project was not at the time carried 
out. Eecently, it has been revived, and there is a fair 
prospect of its being successfully accomplished ; but it 
is an engineering task of no small difficulty, for not 
only does the road run over spurs of hill 4,000 feet 
above the sea, but the river Bhadra, the Sita Hole, and 
several other smaller streams are crossed, which, in the 
rainy season, are all mountain torrents with a furious 
current. Such, however, are the attractions of trade, 
that, even at the present time, notwithstanding the 
difficulty and terrors of the route, some 50,000 pack 
bullocks, laden with betel-nut and rice, annually 
traverse it ; while, thanks to some recent improvements, 
one solitary cart is said, with extreme pains, to have 
reached Balehonur from the north, that is, half way to 
Wastara from Hariharapur. 

The forests contain the fragrant champaka, (Michelia 
champaka), nandi (Lagerstrcemia microcarpa\ honi 
(Pterocarpus marsupium), bite {Dalbergia latifolia), 
and other fine timber. Besides these well-known trees 
there are many others which attract attention, and 
among them the picturesque Sanhalli Bhogi, which has 
a white flower, and the Chetumbe Bhogi, a fine tree, 
with wide-spreading top branches like a yew. In the 
denser woods, tigers are rarely met with, but they 
frequent the lower jungles in the neighbourhood of 
villages, and occasionally commit great ravages among 
cattle. 

The Koppa sub- division, though naturally rich and 

L 



146 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

fertile, is in a depressed state, owing to the arbitrary 
manner in which the rental of the betel-nut gardens has 
been levied, during a long course of years, at the caprice 
of the local officials, and also to the impoverished state 
of the landowners. Unlike the cultivators in the plains, 
who can procure with facility at the adjoining markets 
all that is not produced on their land, including such 
articles of dress as they may need, the agriculturists 
in the hills of Koppa, having hardly any produce but 
the betel-nut grown in their gardens, which few of 
them are able personally to export, are obliged to 
borrow money for all their wants from the wealthy 
merchants who take the crop off their hands. Many 
of them complain that they have nothing beyond rice 
to eat, water to drink, and fuel to cook with, and that, 
having long been entirely in the hands of the money- 
lenders, whose terms used to be 24 per cent, interest 
yearly, they have not the means to procure the simplest 
luxuries. Their condition has been of late much 
ameliorated by the suspension of the Government de- 
mand till a period beyond the close of the official year, 
so as to enable them to dispose of their crop after the 
selling rates at Walaji, Arcot, Yellore, and other places 
have been ascertained, but a long time must elapse 
before they can get rid of the incubus of the heavy 
debt which now presses on them. Nearly one-third of 
the Government revenue is still paid by money-lenders, 
but the monopoly which left all the cultivators in the 
power of two or three individuals has ceased, so that, 
with the increasing competition, the rate of interest on 
money lent is reduced to one-half of what it was 
formerly. 



DEPEESSED STATE OF BETEL-NUT CULTIVATORS. 147 

In the plain country, the agriculturists frequently 
carry their grain on their own carts to distant markets, 
thus realising a handsome profit, without the inter- 
vention of any agent. But, in the case of, betel-nut, 
which is moreover a precarious and delicate crop, 
capital is needed for the costly enterprise of trans- 
porting it beyond the limits of Mysore, after paying the 
excise due to the Government. When, however, the 
system of roads now in hand is completed, there is 
little doubt that wealthy traders will bring their carts 
into the hill country, and purchase direct from the 
owners of gardens, who will then reap the fruit of their 
industry, and repay the loans which now are as shackles 
round them. The three great wants of the Malnad 
were good communications, an equitable assessment, 
and payment of the Government demand at times 
which are convenient to the cultivator. The last of 
these requirements has been already met, and it is to 
be hoped that the other grievances will shortly dis- 
appear, as a good system of communications has been 
devised, which only needs funds to carry it out, while 
the revenue settlement department, which is already at 
work in the Sorab sub-division, will apply an effectual 
and sure remedy to the existing inequalities of taxa- 
tion. 

The greater part of the betel-nut grown in South 
Koppa finds its way, by Wastara, to Chikkamugalur 
and Belur, whence it is exported eastward. All the 
rest is sent to Birur in the Tarikere sub-division, where 
reside many merchants of substance. It is calculated 
that about 60,000 maunds (the maund being 24 lbs.) 

L 2 



148 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

are sent to Binir, and 20,000 in the other direction, 
the total exports from the single sub-division of Koppa 
in an average year being thus 80,000 maunds ; the 
excise on which is collected at five principal stations. 

Proceeding due south from Bugunji, and crossing the 
Sita river, one reaches Nitle, the excise station. The 
scenery at this gorge is singularly picturesque, and 
quite alpine in character, a splendid mountain called 
the Ane Gudda, or Elephant Hill, towering up on the 
right hand. Beyond this, there is a considerable ascent, 
through a grand forest, to the Sita Kaniwe or gorge, 
and, after passing the ruined town of Hosapatan, one 
reaches the Ghante Venaikana Kaniwe, the top of the 
saddle that separates the Tunga and Bhadra rivers, and 
the boundary between Koppa and Wastara, which 
latter sub-division one here enters. A good deal of 
coffee has been planted along the hue of road, but, 
with rare exceptions, that grown in Koppa is not of 
such good quality as that produced farther south. 

At Balehonur, the second stage from Hariharapiir, 
an extremely difficult mountain path leads W.S.W. to 
the secluded Kalasa Magani (Magani is a name given 
in the Malnad to a portion of a Taluq, or sub-division, 
which in the plain country is called a Hobli). This 
curious region is quite unique, both the country and 
the people having many peculiarities. A concise de- 
scription of it is given in the following Kanarese 
saying— 

Muru. Savira Varaha 
Am Savira Gudda 
Haneradu Savira Paisach 
Kadella Champaka 
Urella Heggade 



A SECLUDED TRACT. KALASA PEAK. 



149 



which, being translated, signifies — 

Three thousand pagodas (i.e. 10,000 rs. revenue) 
Six thousand hills 
Twelve thousand devils 

In every thicket the Champaka (a tree famous for its fngant flowers) 
Tn every village a Heggade (a Jain Headman). 

The inscription is not inappropriate, save perhaps the 
devils, though the people of the country are firmly 
persuaded that these are as thick as they can stand, 
and, as in the Sagar country, one frequently sees sheds 
in the jungles, dedicated to Daiva Kuppina, or Panju- 
walli, a sylvan spirit, who, in his malevolent qualities, 
seems to rival the Bir Devaru of that region. A series 
of severe ascents and descents, through thick forests, 
takes one to the Bird's Pass, 4,200 feet above the sea, 
where are the remains of a barrier which, in olden 
time, must have made the road nearly impassable. 

Descending with much fatigue to the Bale stream, 
one reaches a small village, near which is a splendid view 
of the superb Kalasa peak, called, from its pre-eminence, 
the Merti Gudda, that is, the mountain above all. It 
is 6,500 feet above the sea, and after a toilsome climb 
up its steep sides by the ' Windy Gorge,' one revels 
in a view which surpasses all one's expectations. On 
every side tower up hills of various shapes and sizes, 
stretching far away to the horizon, and presenting a 
wonderful spectacle of wild subhmity. At the foot 
of the steep ridge which runs up to a sharp point 
forming the actual peak, the barometer at 10.30 a.m. 
stood at 24-22. This point is called the Tural Bagalu, 
or Tural Gate, and is in a gap between the Merti 
Parvat and another hill to the south, and a very tough 



150 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AM) DESCRIPTIVE. 

pull of twenty-five minutes takes one hence to the 
summit, the higher of two peaks, between which there 
is a dip. The writer's barometer being only adjusted 
to 6,000 feet, became deranged after ascending beyond 
that height, and the altitude of the mountain is there- 
fore only put down approximately at 6,500 feet, which 
is probably, however, below the mark. 

In a clear clay, one can see the great Kumar Parvat 
in Coorg, a distance of fifty miles in a straight line, the 
fine Kodachadri hill in the Nagar sub-division a like dis- 
tance, while to the south-west is the magnificent Kudure- 
niukha, which is really the highest mountain in Mysore. 
The top of Merti is quite bare, but its sides are clothed 
with fine forests, in which are splendid specimens of 
the champaka tree, so much esteemed by natives for 
its fragrant white flowers, while one sees beneath one 
in secluded nooks and sheltered vallies stretches of 
paddy land in successive layers, one below the other, 
and numerous gardens of betehnut, which, in this 
remote corner, attains an excellence surpassing that of 
any other place where the fruit is grown. The supe- 
riority of the nut of Kalasa is attributed to its ripening 
in the hot weather, which hardens it. It is smaller 
than the ordinary nut, is of a deeper color, and is 
considered to have a far finer flavour, so that it fetches 
a higher price in the market. The sides of Merti, 
where the nature of the ground admits of it, are culti- 
vated in a series of terraces, in which abundance of 
rice is grown, with a little coffee, which however 
does not succeed well, owing to the humidity of the 
climate. 



KUDUBE MUKHA MOUNTAIN, 



151 



About fifteen miles south-west of Merti, but twenty 
miles by any road practicable for ponies, is Kote Kan, or 
the KudureMukha hill, the latter name having been given 
to it by the people of the coast from, its resemblance to 
a horse's head, when seen from the sea. The mountain 
path to it leads by the Jain estate of Samse to the 
Bangar Balige, or Somawati hill, a bluff-faced moun- 
tain with a perpendicular drop, between which and the 
adjoining Brahma Parvat issues the Kadigal or Soma- 
wati, one of the affluents of the Bhadra. From this 
point there is a good road or path from Nagur in 
Canara to the top of the mountain, made by the officials 
of that district, who have built a house on the hill as a 
pleasant retreat in the hot months. It is however in 
Mysore territory, as there is no practicable ascent on 
the western face of the mountain. It is some 200 feet 
from the house to the summit, which is about 6,800 
feet above the sea, and is not only the loftiest hill in 
Mysore, but probably the highest between the Hima- 
layas and the Nilgiris. It commands a remarkably 
fine view of the Kalasa Magani, as also of Manjarabad, 
and a considerable portion of Canara ; while, in the far 
distance, one sees the pleasantest sight of all to the 
exile, namely, the sea, shining brightly to the westward 
in the rays of the setting sun, recalling visions and 
thoughts of home. 

o 

In assuming the altitude of this fine mountain to be 
about 6,800 feet above sea level, it may be observed 
that three miles from the house the barometer stood 
at 21° 15' at 7 a.m., and that, allowing 300 feet per 
mile for the ascent, the latter half of which is very 



152 



MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



steep, the house referred to would be at an elevation 
of 5,881 + 900 = 6,781 * Adding 200 feet to the sum- 
mit, the elevation would be 6.981, or more than the 
height just assumed. 

Extremely fine views are gained all along the crest 
of these ghats, between Ganga Mula, the source of the 
Tunga and Bhadra, and Balalraidrug, the boundary of 
the fastness of hills within which the Kalasa country 
is enclosed. Charming as the country is under a clear 
sky in the bright sun, it is a frightful region to dwell 
in when the periodical rains pour down the mountains 
in countless torrents, rapidly swelling and rising, till 
tiny brooks become impassable rivers, and the wretched 
inhabitants scarcely dare emerge from their houses. 
All the devils are let loose at this time, and from June 
till October have it pretty much their own way, tor- 
menting the people with fever, and the cattle with 
murrain. The superstitious inhabitants, from the 
highest to the lowest, dread these sprites, and, it is 
currently asserted, offered human sacrifices to them in 
days gone by. Nor can one be astonished that a 
primitive race, far removed from civilisation and 
imbued from their earliest youth with fear of the 
gnomes and bogies that haunt the woods, should still 
place implicit faith in the efficacy of sacrifices. 

The principal proprietors in Kalasa are Jains, and 
Namdar cultivators who reverence Vishnu. Who the 
old inhabitants were it is hard to say, as accounts re- 

* The mean of the barometer at Bangalore, baaed on many observa- 
tions, is 27°, its height above the sea being 3,031 feet at the commis- 
sioner's flag-staff. Taking this as the fixed point of departure, 1,000 feet 
had been allowed for each degree registered by the barometer. 



JAIN LANDHOLDERS. THEIR FARMS. 153 

garding them differ. Some assert that the country was 
held by Bedars and Kormars, and that the Jain Chief 
of Karkal, Bhairasu Wodiar, invaded it from the north, 
dispossessing the old rulers ; but it is more probable that 
the present Jain landholders are the descendants of 
chiefs who, after the subversion of the Halibede dynasty, 
were driven into these remote hills, where they could 
defy the malice of their enemies. 

The leading Jains are called Heggade, and their 
wives Heggaditi, and, though no longer wielding abso- 
lute authority, have such great local influence that no 
one, without their aid, can move through the country. 
The chief of the Jain landholders, the Samse Heggade, is 
a man of substance, paying 200/. yearly to Government, 
and resides in a large farm, which, with its extensive 
out-offices and barns, greatly resembles a respectable 
farm in Europe, though to a person accustomed to the 
ordinary Indian village with its small mud houses, 
the contrast is striking. Such houses present a solid 
wall to the force of the south-west monsoon, having no 
windows on that side, but there is usually a court-yard 
in the centre, into which the gutters from the thatched 
roof empty themselves. In the house and barns are 
stored up all food, forage, and other articles needed to 
carry the family safely through the season of heavy 
rains, and the farmer is rarely without a supply of fire- 
arms for the defence of his house against chance rob- 
bers, and of his cattle against wild beasts. Near the 
residence of the proprietor one sometimes sees a temple 
dedicated to Santnath, or some other Jain incarnation, 
the officiating priest being of the Viswamitra, or other 



154 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

brahraanical caste. The idols in the temples are of 
black stone, the figures standing erect, with their arms 
hanging down at their sides. 

The Samse Heggade has a grant given to him by 
Venkatadri J^aik of Balam, to which Kalasa for some 
time belonged, but long before the Aigur chiefs or even 
the Ikkeri princes were heard of, Kalasa was a famous 
place of pilgrimage, as being near the source of the 
sacred Bhadra. This fine stream, here also called the 
Samp Hole, passes near the Samse estate, running under 
forests filled with magnificent trees, creepers with im- 
mense leaves, and a profusion of orchids, and makes 
its first appearance in civilised life at Kalasa. 

The Kalaseshwar temple is one of the neatest build- 
ings of the kind in the province, although not beautiful 
architecturally. It is ascended by a long flight of steps 
nicely painted, and is surrounded by a strong wall as if it 
were a fortification. In the court yard there are twenty- 
six stone shasanas in Kanarese (one with the date 1132 
Salivahan on it), and one in Nagari, while the Brah- 
mans possess also two grants on copper plates. The 
institution has no doubt a great antiquity, and has large 
resources, both in money and land, but the priests are 
exacting landlords. It is to the credit of the people of 
Kalasa that they have established a grant-in-aid school, 
which promises to be beneficial to this remote part of 
Mysore. 

The tourist, retracing his steps to Balehonur, above 
mentioned, proceeds south to Baswanakotta, crossing 
the Bhadra on a rude raft made of supiari or betel- 
nut trees. In the jungles beyond, he will perceive 



SMALL-POX DEITY. — HIGH PASS. 155 
# 

some comical wooden figures with grinning mouths, 
like rude toys, representing Mariamma, the small-pox 
deity, and her younger sister. They are supposed to 
exercise a potent influence in averting the scourge of 
small-pox. At various places on the road too, are to 
be seen stones called masti-kallu, which are commonly 
believed to be commemorative of sattis performed by 
faithful widows. 

Beyond Baswanakotta is a fine hill called Kanchinkal- 
drug, so called from its bold face resembling bell-metal, 
6 Kanchu.' The fort on it was built by Yir Balal, one of 
the kings of the Halibede dynasty, who constructed 
Balalraidrug, and is a strong place, though it has been 
deserted for a hundred years. It commands the ap- 
proach to the Kalasa Magani from the east, as also the 
route to the north. After crossing the Hakki Makki 
pass, which is 5,000 feet above sea level, one descends 
into the less mountainous country near Wastara, to the 
west of the great Baba Budan hill. Near the village 
of Anur is a remarkable hill called Madakal, or Mu- 
rakal, one of the heights of which terminates in a sin- 
gular knob, which some facetious planters nicknamed 
6 Cannon's nose,' from a fancied resemblance to the nasal 
organ of this gentleman, who was the first European to 
establish a coffee plantation in this part of Mysore. He 
formed another fine estate at Balur, a few miles distant, 
and since his time numerous other gardens have been 
opened near the sources of the Hemawati river, the 
produce being sent out of Mysore to the western coast 
by the Kodekal or Umbrella Ghat, so called from a 
curious rock on the road resembling that useful article. 



156 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

The coffee grown here is of fine quality, except in 
some estates near the Ghats, where the climate is very 
damp and the winds blow with great violence. All the 
eastern side of Wastara consists of steep hills and nar- 
row valleys, rice being grown frequently on the sides of 
the hills, which are cut away in successive layers for 
cultivating purposes. The headmen are well off, proud 
of their ancient privileges, and fond of appearing in 
public with umbrellas and other insignia, granted to 
their ancestors by the old chiefs of the country. The 
town of Wastara is wholly unimportant. 

The Lakkuwalli sub-division is traversed throughout 
its length by the Bhadra, which, near the town of Lak- 
kuwalli, runs through a gorge, where it has been pro- 
posed to construct an immense reservoir, in connection 
with the works of the Madras Irrigation Company. 
Whether this stupendous project will ever be carried 
into execution, it is premature to say, but, considering 
the nature of the ground, the great force of the river 
at the narrow pass, and the dread unhealthiness of the 
jungles, it may safely be asserted that the project would 
cost an immense sum (not less than 300,000/. probably), 
and entail great sacrifice of life. As the river flows 
between deep banks, flanked by high hills, any irriga- 
tion channels taken from the head dam could not be 
utilised till they have passed over a considerable stretch 
of country, while the Mysore frontier is more than sixty 
miles off, so that, either the channels would run unpro- 
fitably to waste over this great distance, or an arrange- 
ment must be made with the Mysore State that the vil- 
lages in its territory should have the first claim to the 



LAKKUWALL I RESERVOIR. 



157 



Welter, in which case, the certainty of the supply to 
Her Majesty's country below would be endangered. 
The imposition of a water cess by a private company in 
a foreign state would be a hazardous venture, yet, un- 
less this be done, it is highly improbable that the pro- 
ject would be profitable, considering the large outlay 
required for constructing the head works. It may be 
observed moreover that, as a large tract would be sub- 
merged by the reservoir, including several villages, 
there would be a heavy bill for compensation. 

Lakkuwalli is one of the teak-producing sub-divisions 
of Mysore, but most of the older and finer trees were 
felled many years ago, necessitating the formation of 
fresh plantations, which, however, promise well. A 
thick jungle stretches from the north to the south up 
to the slopes of the great Baba Budan mountain. This 
remarkable hill was called in former days Chandra- 
drona, but derived its present appellation from a Musal- 
man saint, who lived and died on its summit, and who 
is reputed to have brought from Arabia the coffee tree, 
which he planted near his dwelling, whence it gradually 
spread to other parts of the country. His successor, 
Ghaus Shah Kadiri, resides near the grave of the saint, 
which is in a dark cavern, that is occasionally lighted 
up at night for the benefit of visitors, who wish to show 
respect to the memory of Baba Budan. Ghaus Shah 
has a good house at Budannagar, where the climate is 
delightful, and streams of the purest water issue on 
every side. He has extensive plantations of coffee, 
held free of rent, in recognition of the service rendered 
by his predecessor, and is consequently in easy circum- 



158 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

stances, and much respected, not only by those of his 
own creed, but by the whole surrounding population. 
When he leaves his mountain abode, he travels in a 
palankeen, a mode of conveyance little used now in 
Southern India, where the bullock coach has super- 
seded it, but still adhered to by a few people of rank. 

The Baba Budan mountain is in the form of a horse- 
shoe, the ends fronting the west, and its highest peaks, 
called Mulaingiri and Kalhatti, attain an altitude of 
6,300 feet. It has a very fine appearance from the 
south, the country on that side being open. In the 
centre of the space enclosed by this magnificent hill is 
a densely wooded tract, called Jagar, much feared for 
its unhealthiness, as it lies at the bottom of a cauldron, 
surrounded on all sides by lofty mountains, except 
where the swift-flowing Bhadra rushes by it to the 
west, thus completing its isolation. In this jungle tract 
there are numerous small hamlets, a great deal of coffee 
being grown by the leading Gaudas or headmen, who 
are wealthy and independent. The forests produce, 
besides fine timber, which is, however, not easily re- 
movable, the lac insect, and the Kapila powder of the 
Eottleria tinctoria tree. Elk are found in numbers on 
the mountain, affording good sport, while bison are 
occasionally met with, and tigers sometimes cross the 
hunter's path. 

On the Kalhatti peak is a house built for the accom- 
modation of the European officials, and beneath it, at 
Santaw r ere, are some fine coffee plantations at an eleva- 
tion of 4,000 feet. In the vicinity a plantation of 
cinchona trees has been formed, which promises well. 



CINCHONA PLANTATION. — CHIKKAMUGALUR. 159 

Several thousand plants of the Succirubra species have 
been raised, of which 2,000 have been distributed 
among the planters and leading native proprietors of 
the country around. There is every prospect of this 
plantation proving a great success, as the elevation and 
climate seem both to be suitable ; but in the absence of 
any local means of extracting the quinine and other 
essential properties of the bark, it is probable that the 
natives will content themselves with using the bark 
itself as a febrifuge. But, in any case, the dissemi- 
nation of the cinchona tree will be a great blessing in a 
country where fever of a bad type commonly prevails, 
and where the price of quinine now places it beyond 
the reach of the native community. 

Chikkamugaliir, though a small sub-division, is one 
of the richest in the province, being abundantly watered 
by streams from the Baba Budan mountain, to the south 
of which it hes. The town of the same name is one of 
the most thriving places in Mysore, carrying on an ex- 
tensive trade with Bangalore and Madras, but it is an 
unpleasant residence in the rainy season, being much 
exposed to the force of the south-west monsoon. It is 
connected with Shimoga by a fair road through the 
lower hills ; but the stupendous Baba Budan mountain, 
and the difficult ranges of hills already described, offer 
an almost insuperable obstacle to the communications 
with the north and east. 

Though badly wooded, and apparently bare, the 
sub-division produces fine wheat, sugar-cane, rice, 
gram, tobacco, castor-oil plants, and other crops, the 
best being raised in the black soil about Sakaraipatan, 



160 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

an ancient town, said to have been built by Eaja Buk- 
mangada Eao, of whom nothing is known. It is con- 
nected with Chikkamugalur by a difficult pass called 
the Irane Kaniwe, practicable, however, for carts. 
Four miles west of the town is the Madaka tank, one 
of the largest reservoirs in the province. This splen- 
did sheet of water is of considerable depth, and the 
sluice is ingeniously constructed so as to carry off the 
mud accumulated in the bed of the tank. From the 
escape issues the Avati stream, which, being joined by 
the Veda that waters Sakaraipatan, forms the Yedavati, 
and flows eastward through the barren Chitaldrug 
district. 

Banawar, the next sub-division, is in the open 
country, and is not specially interesting, though good 
tobacco is grown in it, and there are very fine groves 
of the date palm, which are utilised in making toddy. 
There is a curious old gun in the fort, called Eama 
Chandra, which is supposed by the people, if worship 
is paid to it, to be efficacious in curing stomach-aches. 

The Kadoor (Kadur) sub-division gives its name to 
the whole district, and the town is one of the healthiest 
places in the province, being in a fine open country 
2,400 feet above the sea, and commanding a grand 
view of the Baba Biidan mountain. The crops raised 
are the same generally as those grown in Banawar. 

Tarikere is also one of the sub-divisions in the plains, 
but portions of it are covered with wood, and the low 
hills contain much scrub jungle, in which tigers and 
other wild beasts are common. One of these beasts, 
which used to infest this part of the country, as well as 



TIG EES. — STUBBORN EYOTS OF TAEIEEEE. 1G1 

the adjoining sub-divisions, is said to have killed 200 
persons, carrying off the agriculturists in broad day- 
light as they ploughed their fields, and committing 
such ravages among gangs of labourers on the roads as 
to deter them from working. A reward of 50/. was 
offered for the destruction of this man-eater, but, 
though frequent expeditions were made to hunt him, 
and he had been more than once wounded, it was 
never shown that he had been killed, though this was 
inferred from the fact that he has not been heard of 
for some years. 

At Tarikere itself tigers often made their appearance, 
and an amusing story is told regarding their boldness. 
Two gentlemen, who were travelling, stopped at the 
rest-house, and ordered dinner. The first course was 
brought in and disposed of, but a long time elapsed 
before the second was brought. At length one of the 
gentlemen, tired of waiting, got up, and going into the 
veranda, called out to his servant, who was in the adjoin- 
ing cook-house, enquiring the cause of the delay, upon 
which he received an answer that tigers were prowling 
about between the rest-house and the out-offices, pre- 
pared to carry off any servant who might incautiously 
show himself. It was said that a tigress and three 
cubs were thus lying in wait for their prey. 

The people of Tarikere are a stubborn and refractory 
race, and ill-disposed to submit to the authority, either 
of the Government or of their own headmen, who 
possess little inilence in their villages. The greater 
part of the sub-division was formerly held by Palegars 
of the Bedar caste, who, after the extinction of the 

M 



162 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

Vijayanagar dynasty, conquered a considerable tract of 
country, up to the borders of Chitaldroog, which was 
also in the possession of Bedar chiefs. They were 
turbulent and disaffected in the days of the late Maha- 
raja, and took advantage of the misrule practised by 
His Highness's Brahman officials, to instigate the people 
to revolt. Both Bedars and Lingayats, which latter 
class included most of the influential landholders, cor- 
dially hated the Brahmans, and resented their ascen- 
dancy. The unpopularity of the Government was, 
however, in great measure owing to the faulty system 
of renting out large tracts of country to the highest 
bidder, a practice which led to great oppression and 
discontent, the renters being generally outsiders, and 
as rapacious as they were venal. In 1830, dangerous 
symptoms of disaffection showed themselves, and in 
the ensuing year all the country side was in open 
revolt, holding large indignation meetings, called 
locally 4 Koot.' The Eaja's officials vainly attempted 
to suppress the rebellion, notwithstanding that severe 
measures were taken under his immediate orders, and 
at length it became necessary to call in the aid of 
British troops. The Tarikere Palegar, Sarja Hanu- 
manappa Naik, offered a strenuous resistance, which he 
continued till 1834, when he was seized and hanged. 

The Government of India attributed the rebellion 
entirely to the Eaja's mismanagement, and consequently, 
in 1831, took the reins of power out of his hands. 
The action of Lord William Bentinck in this matter 
has often been questioned* for though the Eaja was 
engrossed in pleasure, and in the hands of sycophants 



REBELLION IN RAJA'S TIME. — THUGS. 163 



who played upon his wilful and stubborn nature, it 
does not appear that he intentionally oppressed his 
subjects, or that he ever did actually fail to pay the 
subsidy due to the British Government, while it is 
certain that the people of that part of Mysore where 
disturbances broke out were indifferently loyal and 
prone to disaffection. 

It is further to be observed, that the manners and 
language of the Nagar population differ considerably 
from those of Mysoreans generally, and show a closer 
affinity to those of the ryots of Canara, where about 
the same time an insurrection broke out. In both 
cases oppressive taxation was the alleged ground for 
the discontent which prevailed, a feeling which was 
certainly fomented by the Tarikere Palegar, as also 
by a pretender to the Nagar throne, called Budi 
Baswappa. 

The character attributed to the Tarikere people by 
natives of other parts of Mysore is confirmed by Mr. 
Stokes in a very able report on the old Nagar division, 
and is certainly true at the present time. 

The professional stranglers, called Thugs, forty 
years ago were as formidable in Tarikere as tigers are 
now, but were entirely suppressed, many being hanged, 
and others imprisoned for life, of whom a few old men 
are still to be seen in the Bangalore prison. The 
crime is now rarely heard of, but seems to have been 
known as early as 1800, for, in the old records at 
Bangalore, mention is made of the capture of a gang 
of thugs, who buried their victims in some deserted 
temples at Krishnarajpur, eight miles from Bangalore. 

M 2 



164 MYS0KE, HISTOEICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

The present generation, however, at that place are 
wholly ignorant of the evil repute attaching to it, and 
have never heard the story, though a detailed account 
was given at the time of the disinterment of the mur- 
dered persons. 

There is considerable variety in the crops raised in 
the Tarikere sub-division, according to the respective 
prevalence of black and red soils, the existence or 
absence of woods, and the supply of irrigation, which 
is somewhat uncertain, as large tanks are scarce. 

The Tarikere iron is of good quality. The ore, 
having been reduced to powder and sifted, is smelted 
in furnaces filled with heated charcoal, underneath 
which a pair of bellows is worked. When the iron 
melts, it passes through the charcoal by a hole in the 
side of the furnace underground. The cost of manu- 
facture is about 9d. a maund, which sells for about 
Is. 6d. Such iron is extensively used for agricultural 
implements, a portion of it being sent to other sub- 
divisions, and the total out-turn yearly exceeds 1,000 
maunds. 

CHITALDROOG. (GhUaldrug.) 

The Chitaldroog district has an area of 4,205 square 
miles, a population of 378,000, and a revenue of 
97,600/. It is, par excellence, the 4 drug (droog) shime,' 
or hill country, the surface being covered with hills, 
although few of them attain any great height. In 
the centre of the district there is a quadrilateral, twenty 
miles square, containing a most difficult hill tract, with 
only a few villages : a bare and rugged region, which has 



BAEEENNESS OF CHITALDEOOG DISTEICT. 165 

never been scientifically surveyed, and which is only 
interesting to the geologist. Indeed, more than half the 
district is a wretched country, with little cultivated ground, 
and deficient in water. The rainfall is surprisingly 
small, being in certain sub-divisions in some years only 
ten inches, and as the soil is in many places very light, 
and wholly dependent on a good monsoon season, the 
people are not unfrequently in great straits. Anyone 
standing on the top of the great Baba Buclan mountain 
in the Kadoor district, and looking westward towards 
the ocean, sees beneath him a richly wooded and fertile 
country, with never-failing streams and heavy fogs, 
holding the moisture in suspension over the hills ; but if 
he turns round and looks eastward, nothing meets his 
view but barren rocks, scanty cultivation, and a parched- 
up soil, with only a few stunted trees. It is difficult to 
account satisfactorily for the remarkable change thus 
exhibited within a distance of not more than fifty 
miles, especially as at Bangalore, which is considerably 
further east, the rainfall in the south-west monsoon is 
invariably much heavier, and during the year the total 
fall aggregates thirty-five inches on an average. There 
is therefore, probably, some peculiar property in a great 
mountain like the Baba Budan in diverting the rain- 
clouds. 

The people have done what lay in their power to 
avert distress by excavating tanks where this was 
practicable, several of these works being of large size ; 
but many have been breached, and in the course of 
years, many more have silted up, owing to the friable 
nature of the sandy soil. In such cases, there is 



166 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

nothing for it but to elevate and strengthen the em- 
bankment, and to raise also slightly the escape-weir, 
excavation of the bed being both costly and imprac- 
ticable. In fact, this latter process is never expedient, 
except where the tank is in a town, in which case the 
raising of the embankment and the extension of the 
water-spread would be hazardous, or even impossible. 

The Government has for many years had under 
consideration the formation of an immense reservoir, at 
a gorge called the Man Kaniwe, at the point where 
the river Hagri or Vedawati issues from the eastern 
side of the quadrilateral above mentioned. This stream 
has its source in the Madaka reservoir underneath the 
Baba Budan mountain, and, though there is rarely 
much water in it, it is occasionally swollen during the 
periodical rains, and rushes through the gorge referred 
to in a large volume and with great velocity. Nearly 
seventy years ago, the people of the neighbourhood 
pointed out to Dr. Buchanan, when he was travelling 
through Mysore, the eligibility of the site for a grand 
reservoir, but the work was one of too great magnitude 
to be undertaken by the late Maharaja's Government. 
Years rolled on, and the matter seemed well nigh 
forgotten, when it was again revived by the superinten- 
dent of the division, now General Dobbs. Since that 
time, levels have been taken, contour lines have been 
laid down at 60, 80, and 90 feet above datum, 
estimates have been framed, and everything seemed to 
be in a fair way for prosecuting the work, when 
differences of opinion arose among professional officers 
regarding the embankment, the sluices, and the waste- 



PROPOSED GREAT RESERVOIR. — THE VALASE. 167 

weirs, and the question still hangs fire. It is calcu- 
lated that in the basin of hills behind the gorge, 
sufficient water could be stored to irrigate 50,000 
acres, the drainage area of the reservoir being about 
400 square miles. The work would cost probably 
150,000/. when completed, but, if eventually carried 
out, it will be a signal boon to a country which for 
many generations has been subject to visitations of 
famine that have greatly impoverished the people. 

In former days, the Chitaldroog district was much 
exposed to the depredations of the Mahrattas, whose 
principal leader, Parsuram Bhau, ruthlessly plundered 
the northern part of the Mysore province. It was no 
uncommon thing for the whole population to desert 
their homesteads, leaving their houses, and carrying 
with them all their portable property, while, under the 
appellation of the ' Valase,' they wandered about the 
country till the invaders retired, and circumstances 
enabled them to return to their native villages. The 
remarkable affection displayed by Indians towards 
their homes is perhaps unequalled in any country, the 
dreary barren hills of the Chitaldroog district being 
as much prized by the people as if they were a 
paradise upon earth. 

It is not improbable that this portion of Mysore may 
have been less sterile formerly, as on many of the hills 
traces are to be seen of forests cut down long ago. In 
fact, old records mention the existence of fine timber 
where such has wholly disappeared, owing, no doubt 
to the reckless way in which the cultivators have cut 
down whatever they required for agricultural imple- 



168 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

ments, regardless of the destruction caused to young 
trees and saplings. No one ever thought of planting 
new trees to replace those that had been felled, and so, 
as population increased and agriculture spread, the few 
remaining forests rapidly disappeared. The denuda- 
tion of trees under which the district suffers has 
probably had much to do with the prevailing drought, 
there being scarcely any vegetation to arrest the pas- 
sage of the monsoon clouds, which float onwards, 
without depositing their valuable contents. 

In the year 1866, the crops failed generally through- 
out the province, most of the tanks running dry. In 
the Chitaldroog district especially, wide-spread distress 
prevailed, the cheapest grain selling at 8 or 10 pounds 
the shilling, or about ten times its price in fair seasons. 
As the labouring classes receive only about 7s. 6i a 
month, and much less when working for their own 
people, the poor, with their families, suffered greatly ; 
and, notwithstanding the stimulus given by Govern- 
ment to the importation of grain, and the number of 
relief works designed to give employment and wages 
to distressed localities, it is believed that many persons 
perished. It is to be observed, however, that the 
higher castes, even though in indigent circumstances, 
will not perform manual labor, while it often hap- 
pened that able-bodied men would not work in making 
roads and repairing tanks, unless in the immediate 
vicinity of their own homes. Subscriptions were 
readily raised through the province, all officials who 
were able to do so contributing a portion of their 
salary, while wealthy merchants aided liberally in the 



RECENT FAMINE . VI JAYANAG AR KINGS. 169 

good work, so that the distress was much mitigated. 
Although oriental notions regarding the duty of 
charity differ from ours, and although they rarely give 
money to the needy, they are not backward in dis- 
tributing grain and other food, and during the famine - 
year their assistance was freely rendered. The late 
Maharaja maintained an open kitchen at his own ex- 
pense, and behaved with marked liberality and bounty. 

Little is known regarding the history of the Chital- 
droog district prior to the time of the Vijayanagar 
dynasty, although it has been surmised that the Ka- 
damba Eajas, who ruled at Banawasi in North Canara, 
extended their sway over this portion of Mysore. No 
remains have, however, been found to warrant this 
belief. There is abundant evidence, though, of the 
power of the Vijayanagar or Anagundi kings, of whom 
numerous vestiges are found at Hampe in the Bellari 
district adjoining Mysore. They were celebrated for 
their rich benefactions to Brahmans, and their names 
will be deservedly handed down to many future genera- 
tions in connection with some of the valuable irrigation 
channels in Mysore, which were undertaken during 
their rule. 

At Harihara, where there is a large temple dedicated 
to the combined deities Vishnu and Siva, one may see, 
in the courtyard of the shrine, more than twenty 
Sasanas, recording grants of land made by the Vija- 
yanagar sovereigns, most of which have been main- 
tained till the present day. All through the Chital- 
droog district, similar grants are found in temples, 
though nowhere are they so numerous as at Harihara, 



170 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

owing to its position on the sacred Tungabhadra, a fine 
river, which has recently been bridged at this place at 
a large outlay. Harihara is on the Bombay frontier, 
and only 1,800 feet above the sea. 

During the ascendancy of the Vijayanagar family, 
an individual of the Bedar or Bhoi caste, left his home 
at Jadikaldrug near the shrine of Tirupati, and settled 
at Haleur, near Chitaldroog. The Bedars are an active 
and hardy rage, sportsmen by profession, and inured to 
war and athletic sports. They do not, however, bear 
a high reputation, and there is a common Kanarese 
proverb ' Bedana sanga beda,' i.e. do not associate with 
a Bedar. Their advent in Mysore was about the year 
1475, but they do not seem to have acquired much 
importance till 1634, when Kasturi Eangappa Naik, 
the head of the clan, formed the design of building a 
fortress at Chitaldroog, a hill well adapted to such a 
purpose, it being very strong by nature. 

The Naik immediately set to work, and, under his 
directions, the many crags which form the drug were 
girt round by strong walls and projecting battlements. 
From this vantage-point, being secure against attacks 
from outside, he commenced to seize all the country 
round, and in a short time annexed a territory yielding 
a revenue of between 40,000/. and 50,000Z. He defied 
the Mysore Eaja, who was then beginning to conquer 
the rest of the country, and his successors remained 
in undisturbed possession till the time of Haidar Ali, 
who resolved to reduce the stronghold, and accord- 
ingly besieged it. The Bedars, under their chief, 
Madakere Naik, made a brave defence, and opposed 



PALE GARS OF CHITALDROOG. — LING AY AT SECT. 171 

the whole force of the Musalman leader with such 
effect that he was obliged at first to raise the siege. 
In 1778, the ensuing year, the place was again in- 
vested, and, notwithstanding a firm resistance, was at 
last taken, owing to treachery on the part of some 
Musalmans belonging to the garrison, who were won 
over by Haidar Ali. Since that time, the Palegars 
have sunk into insignificance, although the family is 
still respected by the Bedars of the country, who 
regard them as their natural leaders, and assist them 
when in need with money. Thirty years ago, when a 
few of the Palegars showed a rebellious tendency, the 
Bedar clan readily mustered to follow their standard. 
From the Eed Battery, on the summit of the hill, there 
is a fine view of the picturesque cluster of rocks 
beneath, and of the wild country in the neighbourhood, 
but beyond numerous fortified crags and a sorry build- 
ing, misnamed a palace, there is little to attest the 
influence formerly enjoyed by the Chitaldroog Naiks. 

In the vicinity of Chitaldroog is the Muragi Math, 
where resides the high priest of the sect of Lingayats, 
who, as their distinctive mark, invariably wear, sus- 
pended round the neck in a silver box, the lingam, or 
emblem of the god Siva. They are wealthy and in- 
fluential, being keen traders, but rarely enter the ser- 
vice of the State, and despise government education, 
regarding as useless any education, beyond a mere 
knowledge of writing and accounts. They are found 
in great numbers at Davangere, a large town north of 
Chitaldroog, which carries on a considerable trade in 
cloths and grain with the Bombay districts. They hold 



172 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

tenaciously to their own tenets, and invariably resist 
the pretensions of the Brahmans, with whom they have 
frequent collisions at the great processions of either 
sect, both parties attempting to force their way through 
the quarters of towns inhabited by their adversaries, by 
whom they are as stoutly resisted. 

Of late years, the jealousy which actuated rival 
sects in Mysore has somewhat abated however, and 
serious affrays between members of the right hand and 
the left hand, as the contending members of the lower 
castes are called, are of rare occurrence. In former 
days, when Colonel Wellesley commanded at Seringa- 
patam, the quarrels were so fierce as to call for the 
interposition of the military. In Southern India, faction 
fights between the Shias and Sunnis, the rival sects of 
Musalmans, are little known, for so much Hinduism 
has been grafted on the orthodox belief, that the 
Moharram, which is properly a season of mourning, is 
observed in Mysore by Musalmans as a time of rejoic- 
ing, when they give themselves up to dancing, acrobatic 
performances, and all manner of mummery. It is true 
that these amusements are sternly reprobated by the 
puritanical Wahabis, who inculcate a rigid adherence 
to the letter of the Koran, but Musalmans generally 
fondly observe the Moharram saturnalia, which the 
Government rather encourages, as being free from any 
bigotry which might unsettle the minds of the people. 

Musalmans are essentially intolerant, though power- 
less now to inflict any serious injury upon Hindus. A 
few years ago when the high priest of Sringiri, the 
most venerated Guru of Southern India, visited Ban- 



FACTION FIGHTS. — RELIGIOUS INSIGNIA. 173 

galore, the driver of his elephant, which formed a part 
of his following, beat his kettle-drums defiantly in 
front of one of the principal mosques in the town. 
This was sufficient to excite the ire of the tnie be- 
lievers, who assembled in great numbers, and pelted 
with stones the Hindu procession. Fortunately for 
himself, the Guru was in a palankeen, and escaped the 
shower of missiles, but he was compelled to beat a 
hasty retreat, while it was found necessary to call out 
a party of sepoys to assist the police in preserving 
order, and in restraining the fanaticism of both sides. 
A very small spark is sufficient amidst such inflam- 
mable materials to kindle a fierce flame, but the prin- 
ciple of non-interference, except when a breach of the 
peace is imminent, has been productive of the best 
effect. Formerly, the Government used to prescribe 
the particular limits of contending sects, and to pro- 
hibit one from invading those quarters of a town where 
the other resided, but this custom only fanned the 
flame, and prolonged the quarrel. 

One of the principal grounds of dispute was the 
assumption by particular priests, in contravention of 
alleged former practice, of the right to carry in proces- 
sion certain insignia, such as a gilt umbrella, or a 
palankeen borne sideways. The latter privilege, which 
was tantamount, in a narrow street, to stopping the 
way, was only enjoyed, and this under special orders 
from the sovereign, by the Sringiri Swami, who strenu- 
ously objected to the pretension of any other eccle- 
siastical dignitary to exercise it. 

Disputes regarding the unauthorised use of religious 



174 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



insignia, not unfrequently find their way into the civil 
courts, and are sharply contested, not only by the rival 
priests, but by the whole of their flocks. In fact, the 
influence of the leading Gurus is still very great, and 
the exactions which they levy from their followers on 
their tours of visitation are often heavy. It is their 
custom to wander about the country for months to- 
gether, during which time they receive neophytes by 
stamping them on the breast and shoulders with the 
seal of initiation into the sect, while, in return, they 
expect handsome donations from their disciples, which, 
in the case of government officials, generally amount to 
a month's salary. Whenever the funds of the Guru fall 
low, this course is resorted to to replenish his exche- 
quer, his visit being anticipated with more dread than 
pleasure, for, if he takes a fancy to any town, and 
resides in it for some months, his disciples find his con- 
stant presence rather onerous. 

When the Sringiri Swami visited the late Mysore 
Maharaja, he was lodged in handsome quarters, and 
received about 30Z. a day for his expenses, besides 
various gifts of cloths and other articles. In addition 
to this, whenever His Highness paid his respects to this 
incarnation of the deity, as he was reputed to be, he 
was, by custom, obliged to make the Sashtanga Pranam, 
or eight-fold prostration, consisting in throwing himself 
at full length before the Guru, and reverently touching 
the ground with his forehead, breast, shoulders, hands, 
and feet, a mode of salutation anything but palatable 
to a sovereign far advanced in years. It may be said, 
however, in favour of this Guru, and of many others, 



HINDU TEMPLE FUNDS. CHITALDR00O HILLS. 175 

that on the occasion of pilgrims visiting them at their 
monasteries, they entertain all comers free of expense 
for a certain number of days, a practice which during 
great festivals entails heavy expenses. Indeed, most 
of the religious establishments in Mysore are in debt, 
notwithstanding their periodical quetes. 

In the Madras Presidency, a great blow has been 
dealt to Hindu temples by the Government altogether 
abstaining from interference with their management, 
and by its directing the nomination by the people 
themselves of churchwardens, to look after the interests 
of the establishments. This policy, though it is said to 
have resulted in peculation of the funds and in the de- • 
cay of the temples, is undeniably sound, and no excep- 
tion to it could legitimately be taken by Hindus ; it 
being no part of the duty of government officers to 
manage their temples for them. In Mysore, owing to 
the country being administered in trust, on behalf of 
the Maharaja, such a course was not practicable. The 
difficulty was, however, met by nominating the Hindu 
assistants in each district to superintend the endow- 
ments, and to exercise a general control over the 
management of those religious establishments to which 
the State contributes funds. 

Four miles south of Chitaldroog is a hill called Jogi 
Math, about 3,700 feet high, which is well adapted for 
a sanitarium, having a good climate and a fair supply 
of water, while it is well wooded. Most of the dis- 
tricts in Mysore have, within easy reach of the head- 
quarters station, high hills, to which the officials can 
betake themselves during the hottest Season, a precau- 



176 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



tion which, in the case of a feverish place like Chital- 
droog, is necessary. Chitaldroog was for some time 
a military cantonment, but was abandoned owing to a 
virulent fever breaking out, of which many officers 
died, and it still bears a bad reputation in this respect,, 
all new comers being liable to be attacked. Eife as 
fever is in most parts of Mysore, there is no portion of 
the country which is so generally unhealthy as the 
barren Chitaldroog district, for which reason it is much 
dreaded by government officials accustomed to the south 
of the province. 

The other principal hills in the district are Nidigal, 
« which is 3,680 feet, Hosdrug 3,280, and Paugarh 2,970 
above the sea. The former of these is a very fine peak, 
and although its altitude is not great as compared with 
some other hills in the province, it rises 1,400 feet 
above the town at its base, and is seen from all sides, 
being a prominent land-mark. The town is 700 feet 
lower than Bangalore, and the level of the country 
falls rapidly eastward and northward. The tract of 
Nidigal and Paugarh was formerly in the possession of 
the Harti Naiks, a powerful family, which succumbed 
to the Chitaldroog Palegars, who regarded with cove- 
tous eyes this fertile strip, which is abundantly watered 
by natural springs, called Talpargis. JSTidigal is at the 
entrance of a difficult pass not practicable for wheeled 
carriages, and the hill is fortified. Paugarh is, how- 
ever, a much more formidable place, and differs from 
most Mysore forts in being covered with rocks and 
crags, while, in lieu of the steep slippery precipices 
which form the sides of the Drugs, art has been 



HILL FOETS. PASTURE LANDS. 



177 



brought into play to supplement nature, and .the only 
practicable ascent is up steps with intervening gateways 
strongly fortified. One of the batteries is called the 
Sultani, after Tippu Sultan, and the place was well 
provided with war material — more than 12 guns, 
20,000 shot, and a great number of rockets having 
been found in it. The rockets were still serviceable, 
although they were of the time of Tippu — a proof of 
the dryness of the climate. 

Hosdrug does not differ from other fortified hills of 
the same class. The fort was built by the Palegar of 
Chitaldroog, in opposition to Bagiir, the ancient chief 
town of the country, which was subject to the Balal 
kings. Traces of an older site are found at a place 
called Mlawati, of which a romantic story is told, that 
the daughter of its lord was wedded to one of two 
brothers, who, though princes from afar, came in dis- 
guise as thieves, and tried to carry off the girl. 

Although there is comparatively little arable land in 
the Chitaldroog district, there is excellent pasturage in 
some portions of it, where the grass is thick and abun- 
dant, large flocks of sheep being kept by the villagers, 
who sell them to dealers from Bangalore, at prices 
varying from 2s. 6d. to 6«§. per head. The wool is of 
fair quality, and a superior kind of blanket is made 
from it at Davangere and other places. Some of the 
best grazing grounds for cattle are found in the Hosdrug 
sub -division. 

The most northerly point in the district is Molakal- 
muru, so called from a story that the Chitaldroog Palegar 
broke his knee in ascending the rugged rocks which 

N 



178 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AKD DESCRIPTIVE. 

surround the town on every side. There is a fine echo 
in the centre of a basin of hills behind it ; but the na- 
tives firmly believe that the rock only gives back the 
word 6 Jogappa,' the soubriquet of a certain Jogi, or 
ascetic, who lived here. This is, however, a fable, the 
echo being remarkably clear and distinct, whatever words 
are called out. In the Molakalmuru sub-division there 
is a curious forest of the Hardwickia binata (called by 
the people Asina mara\ extending over an area of ten 
or twelve square miles. The trees are of great age, 
and are not now propagated, either by seed or by 
cuttings. They look like pollards, and have a very 
stunted and weird look, the ground beneath them being 
hard gravel, on which nothing will grow. In many 
instances fig trees are seen grafted on these old trees, 
embracing and even hiding the trunk, from which their 
age may be inferred. In the Budikal sub-division, the 
same tree flourishes well, and yields a fine dark wood, 
suited for building purposes. 

Great exertions have been made to plant trees along 
all the high roads of the district, the people of the ad- 
joining villages being responsible for watering and 
tending them, and having a right to the produce of all 
fruit grown on them, but the hardness of the soil, and 
the great depth at which water is found, have thrown 
obstacles in the way, and constant vigilance is needed 
to prevent the trees from dying out. 

The agricultural products of the district are, in the 
south, the same as in the Tomkoor district, namely, 
millets of different species, beans, linseed, and the 
castor-oil plant. In those sub-divisions where black 



COTTON. — VARIOUS KINDS OF WELLS. 179 

soil is found, the larger millet, wheat, sugar-cane, and 
Bengal gram are grown, while, near the Tungabhadra, 
cotton is tolerably abundant. The better kinds of 
exogenous cotton, including the New Orleans and 
Bourbon varieties, have been introduced, but have 
not found much favor with the people, who aver 
that, though these are longer in the staple, they are 
less hardy than the native kind. A few showers, at 
opportune periods, are sufficient to produce a plentiful 
crop in the black soil ; but, as stated above, the rainfall 
is very precarious, and as the nature of the country in 
many places does not admit of the formation of tanks, 
wells are more used than in any other part of the 
province. The Persian wheel is unknown, and the 
process generally employed for raising the water is by 
lowering a large skin, which, when filled from the well, 
is hoisted by two or more bullocks being driven down 
an inclined plane, the ropes attached to them drawing 
up the skin by a pulley to the surface, when it is 
emptied, the water being conducted by small irrigating 
channels to the land where it is required. These wells 
are called Kapile wells, and though more effective than 
the common Yatam or Pekotta, which is worked by men 
only, they are very inferior to the wells in Upper 
India, where the Persian wheel is in use. If water is 
close to the surface, a hand-bucket, called a JSTiru Gude, 
is lowered, and raised by two men standing opposite to 
one another, each holding two ropes attached to the 
skin. 

Iron is found abundantly in some of the sub-divisions 
of the district, and, after being hammered into bars, is 

n 2 



180 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

manufactured into a variety of agricultural implements, 
which are not only used by the people, but exported 
elsewhere. Steel of fair quality is made in some places, 
the dried branches of the Cassia auriculata (also used 
for tanning purposes), and some fresh leaves of the 
Convolvulus laurifolia being put into a crucible, with 
iron which has been cut into small pieces, eight inches 
long, two inches wide, and half an inch thick. The 
crucibles are closed with red mud or loam, and are put 
in a hole filled with charcoal, on which bellows are 
made to play for five or six hours, till the contents are 
completely liquified. The steel thus manufactured at 
one time promised to attract attention in Europe, but of 
late years it has not been in special repute. 

A vast quantity of glass bangles are also manu- 
factured in the Hiriur and other sub -divisions, and are 
hawked about the province by itinerant pedlars. The 
glass is of various colors — red, green, and black, but 
possesses no particular beauty. 

An attempt has been made to collect together in the 
museum at Bangalore specimens of all the natural 
productions of the province, as well as of all the 
articles manufactured in it. Among the former is an 
interesting series of all the various woods which have a 
commercial value, or are used for domestic purposes ; 
the specimens having been prepared so as to show in 
sections the properties of each species. All the grains 
of the country, as well as the various oils, gums, drugs, 
seeds, and agricultural and forest productions are ex- 
hibited. A fair collection of the woollen, cotton, and 
silk manufactures has been made, and the processes 



BANGALORE MUSEUM. 



181 



followed in smelting iron, making steel and glass, and 
extracting gold are shown. Models have been col- 
lected of most of the agricultural implements of the 
country, as well as of those used in various trades 
and manufactures. 

The geological and natural history departments are 
making fair progress, and attention has been directed 
towards the antiquities, literature, numismatology, and 
the arms of the country. 

The museum is much frequented by natives, and 
promises to be a useful and interesting institution. 



182 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



ADMINISTK ATI VE . 



The reader is referred to Wilks' ' History of Southern 
India ' (recently republished at Madras in a convenient 
8vo form) for an accurate and valuable account of the 
vicissitudes of the Mysore State from the commence- 
ment of the sixteenth century till the year 1799 A.D., 
when the power of the Musalman usurpers was broken 
at Seringapatam. 

The pedigree of the present Hindu dynasty, so far as 
it can be ascertained, is given opposite, but it may be 
remarked that, owing to its temporary extinction by 
Haidar Ali, there are few trustworthy records available 
that reach back to a remote period. 

The period when the two brothers, Vijairaj and 
Krishnaraj, came to Mysore was an auspicious one for 
adventurous spirits, as the celebrated Vijayanagar or 
Anagundi kingdom was then near its end; but, al- 
though they obtained a footing by one of the brothers 
marrying the distressed daughter of a petty baron, 
who, on her father's demise, was persecuted by a 
neighbouring Wodiar, or ruler, it does not appear that 
the family attained any pre-eminence in the country 
till the time of Eaj Wodiar. This chief rebelled 




PEDIGREE of the MAHARAJA OF MYSORE. 



TERRITORY CONQUERED BY MYSORE SOVEREIGNS. 183 

against the Viceroy of Seringapatam, and, in 1609, 
wrested from him that celebrated stronghold. Before 
this, in 1588, the power of the Vijayanagar kings had 
been annihilated by the Musalman chiefs of the Dekkan, 
and the discomfited rulers had abandoned their capital 
on the Tungabhadra, and retreated to Pennakonda, 
100 miles to the south-east, where the dynasty shortly 
afterwards became extinct. 

Eaj Wodiar, having secured the fortress of Seringa- 
patam, speedily enlarged his possessions, and com- 
menced a series of aggressions which lasted for more 
than a hundred years. He and his successors subdued 
the following tract of country. 



Raj Wodiar conquered 20 Forts 


or circles of country. 


Chamraj 


18 


w » 


Kantirai „ 


31 


> )> 


Dodda Deoraj „ 


12 


H )) 


Chikka Deoraj „ 


40 


W )) 


Kantirai II. „ 


5 


H }) 


Total 


126 


V )> 



The districts specified comprise the whole of the 
Ashtagram division, and more than half of that of 
Nandidrug, besides parts of the Koimbator and Salem 
districts in Madras. The total area may have amounted 
to 15,000 square miles, with a revenue of 500,000/., 
or half that of the present Mysore state. 

The further extension of the Mysore dominions was 
the work of Haidar Ali, who subdued all the hill 
districts of the Ikkeri kingdom, and the large fiefs 
held by the several Palegars, leaving no part of the 
present native state unconquered, while he carried his 
victorious arms down to the western coast, and to the 



184 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AKD DESCRIPTIVE. 

nor tli and south of the ancient limits of Mysore, till he 
became the most formidable Muhammadan chief in 
India. 

It will be seen from the pedigree given above, that 
the direct descent failed on the death of Dodda Krish- 
naraj in 1731. To him succeeded Chamraj, of an elder 
branch of the family, but this ruler was set aside and 
imprisoned by those who had put him on the throne ; 
and here ceases the genuine descent, 'for,' as Wilks 
says, e whatever slender ground may be conjectured to 
exist for acceding to the regularity of the succession in 
the person of Chamraj (No. XVII. in pedigree), the 
murder of that prince, the rejection of his lineal heir, 
and the election of an infant of a younger branch, ex- 
tinguishes all imaginable pretext to hereditary claim in 
the person now elected to the rank of pageant Eaja 
from which he never emerged ; and from this period 
forward, the mock successions to a faulty title,' &C. 1 

Of the sons of Chikka Krishnaraj, in whose reign 
Haidar Ali assumed supreme power, one was strangled 
by the usurper's orders, and the other died childless. It 
is not known what caprice induced Haidar AH to select 
as a nominal sovereign the boy Chamraj (No. XXI. in 
pedigree), though it may be surmised that either some 
feeling of compunction, or an idea that the act would 
strengthen his own position, influenced him. This 
apparently trivial proceeding, however, probably led to 
the restoration of the old Hindu dynasty in the person 
of one of its scions, the son of Chamraj ; for, had not a 
son of that chief been forthcoming in 1799, the Mysore 

1 Wilks, vol. i. p. 234. 



RESTORATION OF THE HINDU DYNASTY. 185 

territory would, there is reason to believe, have been 
divided between the British Government and the 
Nizam. 

Tippu Sultan would most likely not have hesitated 
for a moment to put to death any member of the 
Mysore family, whose claims might endanger the posi- 
tion of his own sons, and it was therefore fortunate that, 
owing to his extreme youth and the obscure condition 
to which his father had been long condemned, the 
future Eaja escaped the notice of the tyrant. 

Tippu Sultan having been killed, and the British 
Government having, from motives of policy, determined 
to restore the Hindu dynasty, it signified little what 
individual was selected for the purpose, provided that 
his nomination was approved of by the members of the 
family, and it is certain that the selection of the late 
Eaja Krishnaraj was acceptable to the widow of Chikka 
Krishnaraj who died in 1766, as also to the widows of 
Chamraj above referred to, who died iu captivity not 
long before the fall of Seringapatam. These ladies 
acknowledged the boy as their son, and the other 
influential members of the house intimated their 
assent. 

The commissioners appointed by Lord Mornington 
to carry out the intentions of Government, and to 
secure the execution of a treaty with the new state, 
notwithstanding the approval thus obtained, were care- 
ful to designate the youthful chief as a 6 descendant ' 
rather than as the 'heir and representative' of the 
ancient Eajas of Mysore, for, in truth, it would 
have been difficult to prove that no member of the 



186 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AKD DESCRIPTIVE. 

family of a senior branch was in existence. It is, 
therefore, clear that Eaja Krishnaraj, the young sove- 
reign, was an entirely new creation, deriving his claim 
solely from the favor of the British Government, and 
not in right of inheritance. 

Both the official and the native reports of the time 
describe the installation of the young chief as affording 
the utmost joy to the people of the country, who had 
long groaned under the tyranny of Tippu Sultan, a 
remorseless ruler, who had forcibly converted to his 
own faith thousands of Hindus, and driven his subjects 
to despair by his cruelty. The restoration of the old 
family was to the mass of the population a cause of 
unmitigated rejoicing, and probably no Indian chief 
ever ascended his throne under such favorable cir- 
cumstances. 

The minister Purnaya, a Mahratta Brahman by de- 
scent, was a man of consummate ability, a skilled 
financier and a vigorous administrator, who left the 
impress of his authority for many years on the country, 
and managed to husband its resources so well that, on 
the Eaja's attaining his majority, a large sum of money 
had accumulated. His rule was rather arbitrary, and 
he did not hesitate to punish severely those who dis- 
obeyed his orders, while exception might be taken to 
some of the methods employed by him to extract 
money ; but when he assumed charge of the regency, 
the finances were in a deplorable state, and his own 
credit was at stake to retrieve them. As time wore 
on, and his authority became more firmly established, 
he could ill brook opposition and viewed with chagrin 



purnaya's regency. 



187 



the prospect of the young Eaja ruling in person. 
Purnaya, being of the old school, who considered that 
Brahman ministers should govern kingdoms, while 
Eajas enjoy themselves and content themselves with 
receiving homage on state occasions, had taken little 
or no trouble about the education of his sovereign. 
Perhaps he was too old to devote much thought to 
the subject, nor did the British Government evince any 
special anxiety about it, being no doubt satisfied that a 
minister who was so much extolled by the Eesidents 
at the Eaja's Court, would not neglect so important a 
point. 

Purnaya, calling to mind the supremacy of the Brah- 
man Peshwas at Poona, and the thraldom in which 
they held the Satara Eajas, their legitimate sovereigns, 
was probably anxious to preserve his own authority, 
and to make a puppet of the young Eaja. The latter, 
however, in 1810, when he was in his sixteenth year, 
instigated by, those who had already commenced to 
work upon his impressionable temper, expressed a 
desire to take the reins of power into his own 
hands. This led to a violent outburst of rage from 
Purnaya, who forgot the respect due, even from a man 
of his age, to his sovereign, and the result was that the 
minister, shortly afterwards, resigned his authority to 
his master, and retired into seclusion at Seringapatam, 
where he died in 1812. 

The young Eaja Krishnaraj appears to have behaved 
well during the trying circumstances attendant on 
Purnaya's resignation of office, and commenced his rule 
under the most favorable auspices, with a treasury 



188 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

well filled by the minister's careful management, and 
with plaudits from the whole province. But the fatal 
facility with which he listened to the insinuations of 
favorites, and the insincerity of his disposition, soon 
clouded over the bright prospect. 

In 1814, the Eesident was compelled to report to 
Government that the Eaja had already dissipated the 
treasure accumulated by Purnaya on worthless persons ; 
that he had exceeded the bounds of prudence in giving 
large benefactions of land and money to temples, and 
that the Eesident's remonstrances fell unheeded on his 
ear. While the Eesident's advice was flouted, a lute- 
player, named Yenkata Subayya, with other indifferent 
characters, obtained an extraordinary influence over 
the young chief, whose mobile disposition seems to 
have lent itself to the parasitical charmings of courtiers 
who praised his generosity and encouraged his evil 
tendencies. 

The disinterested counsels of the few respectable 
native gentlemen at his court met with no more atten- 
tion than those of the Eesident, and although sharply 
rebuked by the British Government and warned of the 
inevitable result of his extravagance and sensuality, 
the Eaja turned a deaf ear to all remonstrance. In 
1817, he was foolish enough to enter into political 
intrigues which gave umbrage to the Government, but 
did not proceed from any want of loyalty on his part. 

The extraordinary adulation paid by the people of 
Southern India to those in authority had a mischievous 
effect upon a man of the Eaja's temperament, the 
obsequious conduct of those about him encouraging 



RECKLESS CONDUCT OF THE RAJA. 



189 



in his mind the idea that he was above all control. 
No natives, save one or two of his own relations, sat 
in his presence, and it was de rigueur that everyone 
should appear before him with the waistband fastened, 
a custom only observed by the people when presenting 
themselves before the sovereign or other personage 
of rank. 

In letters to him the full address was to the follow- 
ing effect : ' To the presence of the divine feet of the 

great lord Wodiar 1 Bahadur,' a blank space 

being left for the name Krishnaraj, which it was 
deemed disrespectful to use in writing. 

The infatuated Baja still pursued his evil courses, 
always vowing amendment, but never acting up to his 
promises, till the country began to suffer sensibly from 
his imprudence and spendthrift habits. It does not 
appear that he at any time failed in paying the subsidy 
due by him to the British Government, but he was 
frequently at his wits' ends to find the means of dis- 
charging his obligations, and his constant want of money 
led him to resort to that most objectionable mode of 
raising revenue, namely, the leasing out of portions of 
territory to the highest bidder. So long as the stipu- 
lated payments were made, no questions were asked 
as to the manner in which the rents were levied by 
the lessees, and the unfortunate cultivators were, so to 
speak, stripped to the skin by the merciless agents of 
the government contractors. 

Once, in 1826, the venerable Sir Thomas Munro, 
actuated by a sincere desire to avert the ruin which 

1 ' Wodiar ' is a K anarese word for ruler. 



190 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

threatened the Eaja, visited Mysore, and remonstrated 
personally with him ; but the effect of his advice was 
at best transient, and between this time and 1831, the 
year of his dethronement, matters went from bad to 
worse, till a crash was inevitable. 

The Eesident, Mr. Casamaijor, strove ineffectually 
to arrest the Eaja's downfall, but did not succeed in 
securing his confidence. *His Highness seemed destined 
to place his trust always in unworthy advisers, and it is 
said that he delighted in showing those about him how 
little he cared for the counsels of one of the earlier 
Eesidents, by promising verbally anything and every- 
thing to that officer, and by putting his tongue in his 
cheek to the amusement of his courtiers, the moment 
the Eesident left his presence. So suspicious was one 
of the Eesidents of the Eaja's fickleness, that he made a 
practice of noting beforehand the subject of a proposed 
interview, lest His Highness should afterwards alto- 
gether deny that they had conversed about it. 

In 1831, sparks of disaffection showed themselves in 
the Nagar division, and, being fanned by the rapacity 
of the government officers, the turbulent character of 
the people, and the insidious designs of some of their 
leaders, soon broke out into open revolt. For the 
reasons assigned in the account given by him of the 
Tarikere sub-division, the writer does not consider that 
this insurrection was in itself a sufficient justification for 
depriving the Eaja of his sovereign power ; but there can 
be no question that eighteen years of misgovernment had 
greatly alienated the respect of the people, diminished 
the resources of the country, and endangered the sta- 



REBELLION IN NAGAR. 



191 



bility of His Highness's rule. Though he had not failed 
in paying his subsidy regularly, he had done more than 
disappoint the expectations of his benefactors, to whom 
he owed his very existence as a Eaja : he had abused 
the trust confided to him, had weakly allowed the peo- 
ple whom the British Government had placed under his 
protection to be plundered and oppressed by the scum 
of the province, and had disregarded and despised all 
remonstrances, even though these had been urged upon 
him by no less an authority than Sir Thomas Munro. 

In extenuation of his short-comings, it may be ob- 
served that a more authoritative right to interfere should 
have been given to the Eesident, and that the subordi- 
nation of the latter to the Madras Government was 
productive of unfortunate results. To offer advice to a 
character like the Eaja, in soft conciliatory words, 
unsupported by warnings of the consequence of non- 
compliance with the counsel tendered, was tantamount 
to preaching to the wind. The position of the Madras 
Government, in relation to the Eesident and the 
Supreme Government of India, was also anomalous, 
and afforded the Eaja's unscrupulous followers opportu- 
nities of intrigue which damaged his reputation. 

Had he lived in these days, it is more than probable 
that a man of his great natural intelligence would, with 
the advantages of a sound education, have proved a 
successful ruler. Instead of sacrificing the welfare of 
his people to his personal pleasures, he would have been 
compelled to render a strict account of his proceedings, 
and, in lieu of passing his time in frivolous pursuits 
and empty shows in the company of designing and venal 



192 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

favorites, lie might have taken a lively interest in the 
administration of his country. 

The state receptions held by him at the great vernal 
and autumnal festivals were not devoid of picturesque 
effect. It was the custom to depute a regiment of the 
Mysore Horse, 1 accompanied by the body-guard, to 
escort the Eesident to the palace, and their gaudy 
uniforms, together with the green apparel of the run- 
ning spearmen, the gaily caparisoned elephants, and 
the tumultuous assemblage of retainers, Brahmans, and 
fakirs made up a pleasing, if distracting spectacle. On 
entering the fort a salute was fired from the ramparts, 
and when the narrow streets were traversed, and the 
cortege defiled into the large square in front of the 
palace, the household troops were seen drawn up on 
either side. Then commenced the din of musical in- 
struments, the band playing 'God save the king,' 
the elephants trumpeting, and the mob shouting the 
Eaja's praises, while the troops presented arms, and 
amidst all this characteristic pomp and hubbub, the 
Eesident alighted, and was received at the foot of the 
staircase by the Eaja's nearest relations and courtiers. 
On the rare occasions when the Governor of Madras 
visited Mysore, it was the custom for the Eaja to descend 
himself to the bottom of the steps at the entrance of the 

1 The Mysore Horse are the native cavalry of the province, comprising 
at present six regiments, each composed of 300 troopers. They are well- 
mounted and equipped, and are commanded by native officers, under the 
general supervision of the Military Assistant. In former days they did 
good service under the Duke of Wellington and Sir John Malcolm, and 
if properly led, are efficient troops. Their uniform is red, with a white 
turban, which is fastened over the head by a white cloth passing under 
the chin. 



raja's official receptions. 



193 



palace, and there embrace him, stage fashion, over both 
shoulders. The same etiquette demanded that the 
Governor-General should be met by the Eaja, at the 
gates of the fort, and thence escorted to the palace. 

From the time when the administration was taken 
out of his hands, the Eaja ceased to sit in open darbar, 
and the longing of his old age to lift the curtain, which, 
in 1831, hid him, metaphorically, from public view, 
was never realised, visitors receiving an audience in 
the inner apartments, which were not remarkable, ex- 
cept for a superabundance of highly-colored paintings, 
among which were likenesses of most of the Chiefs 
European friends during his long life. Immediately 
before entering the reception-room, which was on the 
upper storey, visitors were astonished to see two fine 
pet cows comfortably chewing the cud in a small pen 
sunk in the centre of the floor of the anteroom. 

Eaja Krishnaraj was undoubtedly clever, and refined 
in demeanour, although persons accustomed to the 
etiquette followed at darbars elsewhere in India, were 
surprised to see that he did not rise from his chair 
to receive visitors, while he wore shoes during an 
audience. 

His conversation was generally seasoned by shrewd 
and sarcastic remarks, and he was fond of jokes, not 
unfrequently stopping short, in the midst of a discourse 
on grave subjects, to quiz one of his English or native 
friends. He spoke fluently, and not without a certain 
eloquence even, in Kanarese, his mother tongue, and 
preferred making use of this when dwelling on diplo- 
matic topics, but he generally addressed English officials 

o 



194 



MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



in Hindusthani, with which he was quite conversant. 
He had, or seemed to have, a vivid recollection of the 
Duke of Wellington and Lord Harris, and of the cir- 
cumstances attending the ceremony of his being placed 
on the throne when he was a child five years old, con- 
stantly reiterating, when conversing on his claims, that 
he was the same individual who was then raised to 
power. 

The long deprivation of his sovereign rights to which 
he had been subjected, had made him somewhat testy 
and querulous, and he was naturally of a quick tem- 
perament, but he rarely showed this in the presence of 
English officials, and in his demeanour was urbane and 
gentlemanlike. For some years after he ceased to rule, 
his official correspondence was of an acrimonious cha- 
racter, but this is not to be wondered at, when one 
considers the bitter humiliation which he had under- 
gone. 

Though short of stature, he had a pleasant and 
dignified expression of countenance, and must, as a 
young man, have been good-looking, while his dress 
was ordinarily in excellent taste, being less gorgeous 
than the attire of Sikh chiefs, but more striking than 
that of the Princes of Eajputana. His complexion was 
fair, and in the centre of the forehead he wore the 
royal spot, called the Tika, the emblem of sovereignty, 
while round his neck was suspended a splendid triple 
necklace of pearls, and girt round his waist was a 
much-cherished sword, with a medallion of the Queen 
upon the belt. 

During the course of the interviews, if not of a pri- 



OFFICIAL RECEPTIONS. RAJA'S PRIVATE LIFE. 195 

vate character, the court retainers remained in the 
room, calling out from time to time 8 adab se,' e with 
respect ; ' ' tafawat se,' 4 from a distance,' meaning that 
the Eaja must be addressed with reverence and from 
afar. When the audience was concluded, the Eaja 
placed round the necks of his visitors garlands of sweet- 
smelling white flowers, while to each were distributed 
a few drops of atar of roses, and a sprinkling of rose- 
water, from elegantly-chased golden vessels, the never- 
failing betel-nut and a few cloves or cardamoms being 
placed in the hands of each person as a sign that the 
interview was over. During this ceremony the re- 
tainers shouted 6 Mahaswami parai,' ' the supreme great 
lord,' a common mode of applauding any action of the 
Eaja. 

Although he exacted the utmost respect on all public 
occasions, and was naturally tenacious of his personal 
dignity in the absence of sovereign power, the Eaja 
gladly divested himself of all state in private, and was 
accustomed to sit up to a late hour at night, listening 
to the gossip of the ' village,' as he called the town, 
with its population of 70,000, in contradistinction to 
the royal abode in the fort, hearing tales and poetry, 
and sometimes discussing politics or religious themes. 
On these occasions, a few confidential friends and ser- 
vants attended him, and wdien the night was far spent, 
a meal was brought in of such pungent dishes that 
they were said to make the bearers involuntarily sneeze. 
' Early to bed and early to rise ' was an axiom which > 
in his later years, the Eaja did not study, but when 
young he is said to have been active, and to have per- 

o 2 



196 MYSOEE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

formed wonderful feats in slaying tigers and capturing 
elephants single-handed, these gallant exploits being 
commemorated by the court painters in glowing fres- 
coes in one of his residences. Latterly, he contented 
himself with fondling pigeons and with keeping a small 
menagerie. 

After he was deprived of power, he ceased to ob- 
serve with splendour the great festivals of the Vasant, 
and Dashara, but when an old man, he celebrated with 
rejoicings the annual return of his birthday, on which 
occasion he used to invite all his European acquaint- 
ance to the Mysore races and the attendant ceremonies 
in the palace, where he regaled his visitors with a dinner 
in English fashion, and amused them with fireworks 
and circus performances. 

His expenditure on himself was not perhaps exces- 
sive, but the cost of his immense establishment of 
10,000 persons, his open-handed charity, and the great 
drain on his purse which the prosecution of his claims 
in England entailed, involved him deeply in debt. Be- 
tween 1846, when they were previously discharged, 
and 1868, the year of his decease, his debts amounted 
to 420,000Z. although during this period he had re- 
ceived annually, out of the revenues of the territory, 
about 130,000/. for his personal expenditure, his palace 
establishments, and other incidental charges uncon- 
nected with the administration. 

Of course, Brahmans shared largely in the Eaja's 
benefactions, and foremost among these was the family 
chaplain, Parakala Swami, a priest of some note, and 
an exponent of the tenets of Vishnu. It is the custom 



raja's religious leanings. 



197 



when the Guru, or priest bearing this title, is about to 
expire, to crack his head with a cocoa-nut, so that his 
last breath may issue through the skull, and his spirit 
ascend this way to the skies. 

The Mysore family appear to have been originally 
followers of Vishnu, as is evidenced by the name of 
the brother of the first Wodiar, and the use of the 
words ' Sri Krishna ' on the earlier state seals ; but it 
would seem that at one time the head of the house 
leaned towards the teaching of the Saivas, while some 
branches even now adhere to this persuasion. It may 
be observed, too, that Chamundi, otherwise Kali, the 
wife of Siva, is the tutelary deity of the Eajas. 

The rival sects of Yaishnava and Sri Yaishnava 
Brahmans on the one hand, and of Sivabhaktaru on 
the other, form the majority of the population of 
Mysore, or at least of the more influential portion of it. 
Of these, the Sri Yaishnava, or Ayengar sect, is of 
foreign origin, and speaks Tamil as the house language, 
according to the Hindu custom of preserving in all 
domestic relations the tongue spoken by the ancestors 
of those who have settled in other parts of India, far 
away from the birthplace of their race. The Ayengars 
are able and astute men, holding high official positions, 
and are said to have exercised much influence over the 
Eaja. The Sivabhaktaru, or worshippers of Siva, other- 
wise called Lingayats, wear suspended round their 
necks, in a silver box, the emblem of their god ; 1 but 
notwithstanding the apparent impropriety of this 
strange custom, they bear as high a moral reputation 
as their neighbours. They are independent in cha- 



198 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

racter, despise government employment, and detest 
Brahmans of other sects, from whose hands they will 
not even take water. 

The late Eaja favoured alternately the professors of 
both faiths, according to the impulse of the moment, 
or the ascendancy which the ladies of the household, 
and influential relations belonging to one or the other 
of the rival parties, severally gained over him. 

During his long reign of sixty-nine years, he had 
contracted several marriages, both orthodox and other- 
wise, and his blood relations and family connections 
were numerous. He left at his death, two Earns and 
four other ladies, three illegitimate grandsons, and two 
illegitimate great grandchildren, besides a host of other 
persons, more or less nearly related to him. Those 
who claim a common descent with the Eaja are called 
Arasus ; illegitimate descendants are styled Kumars ; 
while the relatives of ladies holding the Siva doctrines, 
who had been introduced into the palace in somewhat 
irregular fashion, are known as Sivachars. 

Among the various branches of the family there are 
a certain number (thirteen) with which alone legitimate 
marriage connections can be formed, and from which 
alone adoptions can be made, in default of direct heirs. 
Of all these, the Dalwai, or Commander-in-Chief, whose 
functions are the same as those of the Senapati of other 
parts of India, ranks first. Indeed, at one time, this 
officer exercised so much authority as to bid fair to 
supplant that of the Eaja himself ; but the family in 
which the post was hereditary fell into decay, and now 
possesses little influence. 

The term usually employed to designate members of 



raja's establishments. 



199 



the royal stock is Eajbinde, a word which is equivalent 
to the designation of Thakur in Eajputana. Few of 
the families of this class now in existence have any 
weight in the country, most of them having been 
impoverished by their own extravagance. The various 
departments of the Eaja's household were, however, 
superintended by a member of one or other of the 
Eajbinde families, although His Highness was rarely on 
good terms with the majority of this class, owing to 
the harshness with which they had been treated by 
him formerly. 

As the acknowledged head of the clan, he was the 
arbiter and referee in all marriages and other family 
matters, a pre-eminence which he asserted with great 
tenacity, occasionally pushing his authority beyond its 
legitimate limits. 

Some Indian princes, to whom nought but a barren 
title remains, still preserve a semblance of those ad- 
ministrative functions which their predecessors formerly 
wielded, maintaining heads of various imaginary de- 
partments, a kind of skeleton, as it were, which, should 
the revolutions of time perchance bring about the 
restoration of lost authority to the prince, would 
speedily start into life and full vigour. Thus, in his 
limited sphere, the late Mysore Eaja organised his 
palace establishments into departments which were 
apparently modelled on the system pursued by former 
chiefs of his house, but which admitted of future ex- 
pansion. The uncouth Kanarese titles sound strangely 
to the ear, but were substantially not different from 
those in use by other Hindu potentates. 

The Eaja, notwithstanding his natural shrewdness, 



200 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



was apt to be swayed by the divinations of the court 
astrologers, who consulted horoscopes, and pretended 
to explain the course of political events by fancied 
combinations of the constellations. It is improbable 
that he placed implicit faith in their predictions, but, 
all through life, he was superstitious, and prone to 
lend a ready ear to the suggestions of wily advisers, 
although he was rarely fortunate in his selection of 
confidants. He was fully alive, however, to the im- 
portance of securing the support and co-operation of 
the most influential Brahmans in the country, on whom 
he frequently bestowed rich rewards. 

The bountiful hand with which, in the days of his 
power, he gave away land and money, had much to do 
with the misfortunes which overtook him in 1831. 
The temples which he chiefly favoured received from 
him splendid gifts of jewellery, the precious ornaments 
presented by him to the shrines of most repute being 
valued at from 10,000/. to 20,000/. each. These 
benefactions won for him the blessings of the Brah- 
mans, but his donations were not confined to men of 
learning and sanctity, worthless and corrupt parasites 
being too often the recipients of his generosity. To 
the poor, however, he was ever charitable, and main- 
tained at considerable cost an establishment at Mysore, 
where a dole of rice was daily given gratis to the 
needy. 

The Eaja's pretensions as a literary man were not 
great, but in the Saraswati Bhandaram, or royal 
library, there is a collection of 600 manuscripts, 
written partly on palm leaf and partly on paper. 



ROYAL COLLECTIONS. RAJA'S DEATH. 201 

These relate to various subjects connected with Hindu 
religion, literature, and science, and are mostly written 
in Kanarese characters, though many are in Nagari, 
Telugu, or Grantham. In the sanie wing of the 
palace is a fair collection of native weapons of all 
kinds, such as muskets, fusils, swords, battle-axes, 
maces, daggers, the Mahratta waghnak or tiger's claws, 
and many curious and ancient arms formerly in use in 
Southern India. His display of jewels, though not so 
splendid as that of many other Hindu princes, was 
well worthy of his rank, and like other sovereigns of 
India he had amassed a large store of gold brocades, 
mirrors, and pictures, besides a great variety of costly 
European objects. 

Eaja Krishnaraj Wodiar expired in March 1868, 
having been conveyed from the upper apartments of 
his palace to the ground floor, in order that he might, 
like an orthodox Hindu, breathe his final breath on 
mother earth. His last thoughts were fixed upon the 
faint hope that he might still grasp once more the 
reins of power, a gratification wisely denied him. His 
obsequies were celebrated with much pomp, the funeral 
pyre being of sandal-wood, while rich gifts were pre- 
sented to those who officiated at the ceremony, a dole 
being also distributed to all the poor of the town. 
Most of his charitable subscriptions were maintained, 
and ample provision was made for all his relations and 
retainers. 

Raja Krishnar was the oldest sovereign in India, 
and was one of the very few persons whose recollec- 
tion went back to the time when Lord Wellesley was 



202 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AXD DESCRIPTIVE. 

Governor-General, and Sir Thomas Munro and Sir 
John Malcolm were young field officers. To consi- 
derable natural capacity, he added a retentive memory, 
and had his common sense been equal to his shrewd- 
ness, he might have proved an excellent ruler ; but the 
bane of his character, which was strikingly exhibited 
from first to last, was that he always distrusted the 
official representatives of the British Government, and 
placed his confidence in those who counselled him 
from interested motives. A few English officers, who 
had held appointments in the Mysore Commission, gave 
him disinterested advice in the later years of his life ; 
but, in the heyday of his power, not even Sir Thomas 
Munro, one of his oldest friends, had any influence 
with him. As a necessary consequence, the people of 
the country placed no confidence in him, and his 
restoration to power would have been a grievous error, 
from which the province was happily preserved. Few, 
however, of those about him had the courage to tell 
him that this devoutly wished-for consummation was 
never to be, and, till the last moment of his life, he 
fondly hoped that the large sums spent by him in con- 
testing his claims would not be barren of result. 

Natives of influence in the province, who regarded 
with ill-concealed alarm the possibility of the absorp- 
tion of Mysore into the Madras Presidency, strongly 
counselled the Eaja to adopt an heir as the only means 
of preserving the integrity of native rule, and the mo- 
tives which actuated them are certainly deserving of 
respect. Not only did the project placed before the 
Eaja of adopting an heir elicit their warm sympathy as 



ADOPTION OF AN HEIR TO THE THRONE. 203 

Hindus, to whom adoptions, on failure of male heirs, 
are recommended by every feeling of religion and 
policy, but they regarded with anxiety the probability 
of an influx of a host of highly educated Madras 
officials, hankering for posts in Mysore, should the 
province become a British possession. It was not 
difficult to persuade the Eaja that if an adoption made 
by him received the assent of the British Government, 
such a recognition of his sovereign rights would ulti- 
mately lead to his own restoration, the real point for 
which he had so long contended. 

It had indeed been asserted that, in the event of his 
restoration, the Eaja would drop the question of adop- 
tion, and consent to bequeath his territory, proprio 
motile to the British Government, but such an arrange- 
ment was, on the face of it, impracticable, and based on 
false policy. There was abundant evidence to show 
that the Eaja had for eighteen years grossly mis- 
governed the country, and that Lord William Ben- 
tinck was at least not without a show of justification 
in placing his sovereign powers in abeyance. It was 
also well known that no unbiassed person could regard 
with other feelings than those of alarm the contingency 
of the Eaja wielding, as an old man, that authority 
which he had failed to exercise wisely when young. 

The right to adopt an heir is however inherent in 
all Hindu rulers, and Lord Canning's action in abstain- 
ing from issuing a patent to the Mysore Eaja was only 
justifiable on special grounds, which in any case were 
open to debate. It is true that adoption had not, so 
far as the annals show, been the custom in the Mysore 



204 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

family, but there was nothing in the peculiar circum- 
stances of the Eaja's case to debar him from the common 
Hindu privilege of adopting an heir, except the British 
Government avowedly put him on a different footing 
from that of other Hindu chiefs on the ground of his 
being a first creation, and of the right of nomination 
to the succession resting with itself. But it does not 
appear that any intimation to this effect was ever com- 
municated to him, or that the Government even laid 
down such a course of action as proper to be followed. 
In fact, the sovereign rights of the Eaja were on all 
occasions acknowledged, and the treaties with him at 
all times enforced, even at considerable inconvenience 
to both Mysore and British territory, as regards judicial 
procedure. 

Taking into consideration all the facts of the case, 
that is, the justice, prima facie, of the claim, the feel- 
ings of the leading natives of the province, the anxiety 
of other Hindu princes as to the result, and the 
possible pretensions of the Mzam of the Dekkan, it is 
probable that the English Government acted wisely in 
recognising the adoption made by the Eaja. 

To the Eaja himself, however, the decision of the 
authorities in England brought little comfort, and he 
could not divest himself of the feeling that his own 
interests had been sacrificed to those of the boy whom 
he had selected as his heir. And so, with the craving 
still strong within him to raise, even for a few hours, 
the curtain which fell before him in 1831 and hid him 
from his people, the old man died, full of sorrow and 
unfulfilled desire, at the age of seventy-four. His 



INSTALLATION OF THE YOUNG RAJA. 



205 



strong constitution was undermined by violent attacks 
of coughing and swellings of the lower extremities, 
which in a few months caused his death. 

Among the leading Eajbinde families was that of 
Bettada Kote, to which belonged Lakshmani, the widow 
of Eaja Chikka Krishnaraj, as also the first and third 
wives of the late Eaja, and from this the future ruler 
of Mysore was taken. He was the third son of Chikka 
Krishna Arasu, who, like his father before him, had 
been a favourite of the old chief, and, on his adoption, 
in June 1865, received the name of Chamrajendra, 
after his adoptive grandfather. 

He was installed, with all the pomp and ceremony 
demanded by Hindu etiquette, six months after the 
demise of Eaja Krishnaraj, on an auspicious day during 
the Dashara festival. 

In the centre of a large circular enclosure in the 
palace, where the old chief used to sit and witness the 
performances of his circus troupe, was placed a throne, 
said to have been presented by one of the Delhi Em- 
perors to Eaja Chikka Deo Eaj, 1 and to have been found 
in Tippu Sultan's palace at Seringapatam, whence it 
was taken to be used at the installation of Eaja Krish- 
naraj in 1799. The young chief was conducted up the 
steps, and when he took his seat, was pelted from 
every corner of the court by a storm of flowers, which 
lay several inches deep at the foot of the throne, while 

1 Some accounts assert that this throne belonged to the Pandavas, 
and that it afterwards was the royal seat of the Vijayanagar kings, on 
whose downfall it came into the possession of the Mysore Wodiars. It 
appears to he of fig-wood, inlaid with ivory, and is now covered with 
gold plates. 



206 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

a royal salute was fired, and the troops presented arms. 
The officiating Brahmans then pronounced some bene- 
dictory prayers, and offered to the young Eaja water 
of the sacred streams, with consecrated cocoa-nuts and 
rice. After this, the genealogy of the Mysore family 
was read aloud, and on its conclusion, where the young 
chief's name and titles were recited, the building 
resounded with the shouts and applause of the people. 

The next step was to present him with a khilat of 
twenty-one trays of shawls, cloths, and jewellery on the 
part of the Viceroy, while all the Eajbindes and high offi- 
cials of the court came forward in turn, made their obei- 
sance, and tendered their offerings, the ceremony being 
terminated by a distribution of pan, betel-nut, and gar- 
lands of flowers. During the whole time, the little 
Eaja behaved with the utmost decorum, neither allow- 
ing himself to be moved by the storm of bouquets, nor 
by the vociferous adulations of his courtiers. 

In the afternoon, he held a darbar in the great bal- 
cony fronting the court-yard of the palace, having first 
walked round the throne, scattering at its foot flowers, 
in token of taking possession. On his ascending his 
seat, he was again pelted with flowers by the bystanders, 
while a tumultuous shout of applause rose up from the 
dense crowd below. To the latter, great amusement 
was afforded by the combats of the jettis, or boxers, 
who wear on the right hand a csestus of horn, with 
which they deal out most severe blows, and as wrestling 
is combined with the boxing, and their motto is 4 spare 
not,' both of the combatants are speedily covered with 
wounds, blood flowing freely. It is in fact a savage 



STATE ANIMALS. EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHIEF. 207 

sport, but used to be much in vogue, three or four 
couples of men being kept expressly for the purpose. 
They are extremely active, and their power of endur- 
ance is great. 

The afternoon's ceremony was concluded by fire- 
works, and the next day, the young Eaja had to undergo 
the fatigue of doing homage to the State Elephant, 
Cattle, and Horse, this being an indispensable ceremony 
on ascending the throne. These animals are supposed 
to have certain auspicious marks, and a specimen of 
each must always be present in the royal stables. 
Should any one of them die suddenly, the Eaja can 
only take one meal a day, till a successor is found, 
having all the lucky marks required by the Shastras. 

The British Government has shown its anxiety to 
give a becoming training to the young chief, and to 
preserve him from the ignoble fate of the late Eaja, by 
nominating a guardian, whose duty it is to educate the 
boy in such a manner as will fit him to fill worthily 
the high position to which he is destined. The able 
and judicious officer (Colonel Malleson) who was selected 
for the purpose, has directed his attention both to the 
mind and the body, and while instilling a desire for 
learning into the young chief, has not neglected those 
manly and healthy exercises which are needed both 
mentally and physically. 

The ancient Hindu literary routine takes the goddess 
Saraswati for its muse, and treating mythology as if it 
were genuine history, and ignoring geography alto- 
gether, contemns all modern science. Any deviation 
from the Brahmanical teaching imparted to his prede- 



208 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

cessors was viewed as an error by the older members 
of the family, and especially by the ladies of the 
household, and no little tact was needed to overcome 
their objections. There is every prospect, however, 
of the young Eaja receiving a sound education, and of 
his excelling in athletic sports. It was wisely deter- 
mined to associate with him in his studies, and in his 
hours of relaxation, the sons of the principal Eajbindes, 
so that, on his attaining his majority, his court will be 
composed of well-educated men, who will strengthen 
his government, and enter cordially into all his measures 
of improvement. 

He has a difficult task before him, but one of great 
interest. He will come into possession of a fine country, 
free from debt, and already far advanced in civilisation ; 
but the people, who have for forty years enjoyed the 
benefits of a strong yet sympathising government, will 
not be contented with a roi faineant, idling away his 
time in unworthy pleasures in evil company, and leaving 
the cares of state to others. The Eaja will have to 
work, and work hard, as a ruler, and although he will 
not be able, like his celebrated ancestors, Kantirai and 
Chikka Deoraj, to conquer territory, he will be able to 
gain for himself an equally lasting reputation, and, by 
governing well, justify the liberal policy of the British 
Government, and win the esteem and gratitude of his 
people. 

From the year 1834 till 1860, the administration of 
the province was in the hands of Sir Mark Cubbon, a 
distinguished officer who, having previously served in 
the country, was well acquainted with its resources, and 



SIR MARK CUBB0N. — RAJA'S CLAIMS. 



209 



the character of the people, and who, by his wise mea- 
sures and thrifty supervision, rescued it from anarchy, 
and put its finances on a sound footing. A man of noble 
heart, and dignified presence, as generous in private life 
as he was economical in the management of public 
funds, he was popular in the best sense of the word, by 
his urbane manner, and the strict justice and impartiality 
which regulated all his proceedings. When compelled 
by the infirmities of old age to lay down the reins of 
office, he left behind him a reputation which had en- 
deared him to all classes, and his name will always be 
remembered in Mysore with veneration and respect. 

During his long administration, the presence of the 
Maharaja in the country was naturally embarrassing, 
for, although His Highness's lavish private expenditure 
conduced to the prosperity of the town of Mysore, the 
occasions were not unfrequent when questions arose 
affecting his personal dignity and position, and the Com- 
missioner and the Eesident (which office was retained 
as a separate post till 1842) were not always in accord 
regarding his pretensions. After the abolition of the 
office of Eesident, he made strenuous efforts to recover 
the administration of his territory, urging his appeal in 
1844, 1845, and 1848, and, lastly, just before Sir Mark 
Cubbon resigned his charge. All the correspondence 
on the subject of the Maharaja's claims is to be found 
in the papers printed by orders of Parliament in March 
1866 ; and it need only be observed here, that His High- 
ness had an accurate knowledge of everything that took 
place, all letters emanating from him being carefully 
scrutinised before they were despatched. 

p 



210 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

The future of the Mysore province is a problem 
which is hard to solve, mainly because the territory 
is far in advance of most native states, and because 
retrograde measures must at all hazards be avoided, 
if the people are to receive the same protection and 
the same equal laws that they have hitherto enjoyed. 

They are undoubtedly desirous to see a native chief 
ruling over them, but not one vested with the arbitrary 
and irresponsible power formerly wielded by the late 
Eaja. Indeed, the majority are probably content with 
the existing system, under which everything is done in 
the name of His Highness, although he has no voice in 
the matter. All this must, however, be changed when 
the young Eaja attains his majority ; and the question 
is, whether the administration should remain unaltered 
till that time, or whether steps should meanwhile be 
taken betimes to remodel the governing agency with a 
view to the future. 

It appears to the writer that it would be unfair to 
the Eaja to carry on the government of the country at 
high pressure, that is, with a great preponderance of 
English officers till the last moment, and then to with- 
draw suddenly, leaving His Highness to manage for 
himself, with a warning that the British Government 
will expect from him that everything shall be as well 
conducted as at present. 

The radical defect of all Indian States managed 
according to the native system, is that too much is left 
to the caprice of individuals, whether Eaja or minister, 
and that the will of one man often overrides the true 
interests of the many. That such power may be exer- 



FUTURE ADMINISTRATION OF MYSORE. 211 

cised wisely and well is true, and Raja Dinkar Eao, Sir 
Salar Jang, and Sir Madhawa Rao, are in the present 
day notable examples of able and excellent ministers. 

The object in view, however, is rather to enable an 
intelligent chief, such as the Mysore Raja, to manage 
his territory himself, aided by experienced persons, 
without being wholly dependent upon them. In order 
to accomplish this, the Raja must first be highly edu- 
cated, and the people have a right to demand that he 
should be. There is every reason to expect that the 
present chief will fulfil the expectations formed of him, 
in which case he is not likely to be a puppet in the 
hands of any minister. 

But it appears essential that the Raja should be 
guided by the law, and by a fixed system — that is, 
that he should not be at liberty to abrogate existing 
laws without the assent of the British Government being 
first obtained. A contrary course would lead to chaos, 
and the interests that have grown up, and have been 
fostered during the last forty years, are too important 
to be surrendered to irresponsible power. 

Those who sympathise most with native States, and 
who have seen how they are administered, are con- 
scious of the great risk to which their stability is sub- 
jected by idle or headstrong rulers seeking to set aside 
all law, and to act on the impulse of the moment. No 
native territory governed in this manner can be well 
governed, and the numerous instances of mal-adminis- 
tration exhibited of late years among the chiefs of 
Rajputana and elsewhere, show the evil engendered by 
such a want of system. 

P 2 



212 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

In order to secure the happiness of the people and 
the good name of the ruler, the simplest plan seems to 
be to assimilate native rule as much as possible to that 
of the British Government. It is not meant by this, 
that every act and regulation in force in Her Majesty's 
territory is applicable to native States, or that the strin- 
gency of particular enactments should not be relaxed 
when required ; but the essential feature is that there 
shall be a written law, which judges and other function- 
aries shall not be at liberty to set aside, and that even 
the Eaja shall be bound by it. 

There is a written law at present, and this should be 
adhered to, unless modifications are needed, in which 
case such amendments or alterations should receive the 
assent of the British Government. 

There is much in the English system of administra- 
tion that is distasteful to the native mind ; but it is pro- 
bable that exception is taken, not so much to the laws 
administered, as to the officers who administer them. 
It is true that the Indian Government has been accused 
of passing laws that are not needed, that little or no 
trouble has been taken to explain their purport before 
they were enacted, and that they are enforced with 
undue severity. But, even admitting the cogency of 
these arguments, and the rigid nature of the English 
system of government, the sum total of them does not 
give so much umbrage as the incompetency of those 
who administer the laws. 

Imperfect knowledge of the vernacular dialects, and 
of the first principles of law, and want of an intuitive per- 
ception of native ideas and requirements, are disadvan- 



EUROPEAN AND NATIVE OFFICIALS. 



213 



tages which beset many English officials, and which no 
ability or high moral qualities will wholly make 
amends for. It would seem that, thirty or forty years 
ago, Englishmen associated more freely with natives 
than is now the case, and knew more of their ways of 
thought ; but there were few lawyers in those days. 
Now, more attention is paid to a legal training, but 
an intimate acquaintance with native prejudices is rarer 
than it used to be. A combined knowledge of the law, 
the languages, and the disposition of the people, appears 
to be beyond the ken of all but a very limited number 
of Englishmen. 

It will be apparent at once that some of the defects 
specified do not exist in a territory administered by 
native officials who, being men of the country, are of 
course well acquainted with the people, their language, 
and their habits. There is also another recommenda- 
tion in the nature of the service attainable, namely, 
that great latitude is left for rapid promotion, and that 
any man may rise to the highest posts. 

In British India the most distinguished native officer 
of Government cannot at present hope to attain a high 
administrative appointment ; and, although he is not 
excluded altogether from the High Court bench, and 
many inferior posts are open to him, he may as well 
hope to grasp the moon as to become a Commissioner 
of a Division, or even a Collector of a District. All 
the professions of the Indian Government of its desire 
to raise the position of its native servants, and all the 
proposals to admit leading natives to seats in Legisla- 
tive Councils, however specious and commendable, will 



214 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

not compensate for the real grievance that influential 
and distinguished Indians feel at their virtual exclusion 
from the government of the country. Whatever Secre- 
tary of State may have the courage to open this double- 
locked door, and admit to the sacred precincts inside 
the people of the country, will win for himself ever- 
lasting renown in India, and attach to the British 
Crown the allegiance of all classes. A limited number 
of civil administrative posts of the grade of assistant 
should be thrown open every year to general compe- 
tition in India, so as to spare natives of the country 
the risk and expense of proceeding to England. 

In the case of Mysore it is most desirable, if not 
indeed essential, to commence the experiment of 
placing the leading native officials in posts of higher 
importance than they have hitherto occupied. In 
doing so, it will be incumbent to provide adequately 
for any European officers who may be displaced ; and 
any charge which this may entail may fairly be debited 
to Mysore. 

It must not be concealed that the success of the 
administration hitherto has been mainly due to the 
strenuous exertions of the European officers, who have 
worked hard, and offered to their native subordinates 
an excellent example of devotion to duty. The faults 
of many native employes are want of punctuality and 
occasional slackness in performing their work, and in 
keeping them up to the mark the supervision of Euro- • 
pean officers has been invaluable. 

It will, in any case 3 be advisable to retain the super- 
intendents of divisions till the last moment, that is, till 



NATIVE AGENCY". 



215 



the Raja's majority ; but all the minor administrative 
posts, such as district charges, and the duties of assis- 
tant, should be gradually made over to native officials, 
and, as five years will elapse before the young chief 
becomes of age. the arrangement is quite practicable. 
A bonus should be given to every European officer 
displaced, calculated according to the length of his 
service in Mysore, the compensation being fixed on 
liberal terms and being payable at once out of the 
revenues of the province. To the native substitute 
a salary equal to two-thirds of that of his European 
predecessor would probably suffice. In this way, the 
services of several Europeans could be dispensed with 
without giving cause for dissatisfaction, and the vital 
measure of forming a strong native agency would 
receive fair play, of which there is little prospect at 
present. 

A few offices, which it is needless here to give in 
detail, but not amounting to more than ten or twelve 
altogether, including: medical charges, must at all times 
be filled by Europeans, even after the Eaja attains his 
majority. In this category are the future Eesident and 
his staff. 

Some appointments of a temporary nature, such as 
the Survey enquiry and the Inam Commission, must 
be retained till the completion of the duties concerned, 
which are of the highest importance to the welfare 
of the province. The thirty years' leases given to the 
cultivators will effectually protect them against the 
rapacity of any of the Eaja's officials hereafter, and the 
investigation into rent-free holdings, and the grant of 



216 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 

title-deeds to the possessors will give a validity to 
this kind of property which it never enjoyed before. 

The tendency of recent legislation in India is to 
strengthen the judicature at the expense of the ad- 
ministration. Now this is unexceptionable in territories 
where the latter can implicitly rely on the loyalty and 
obedience of the people, but in an oriental country, 
whenever a great convulsion agitates the land, and the 
administration is weakened, the courts of justice imme- 
diately collapse. In foreign territory particularly, the 
Government, to be efficient, must be strong, or the 
courts would become corrupt, while there is not much 
fear, under a settled system and with a vigilant Eesi- 
dent, that the Eaja would unduly influence their 
decisions. 

The present judicial system in Mysore is closely 
assimilated to that in force in British territory, and 
does not need much modification. The people are 
too intelligent to desire a return to the times when 
common sense and simple rules are said to have 
sufficed. Common sense in judicial proceedings is but 
too often non-sense, while the cry for simple rules may 
be affirmed to argue simplicity on the part of the crier. 
Unless all native officials are gifted with innate light 
and superior wisdom, it is better to teach them a me- 
thodical procedure, and to give them some legal train- 
ing, than to leave them to their fallacious instinctive 
ideas of right and wrong. 

The financial system now in force in Mysore is 
sound, the budgets being carefully prepared, and a 
watchful control being maintained over all miscella- 



FIXANCE . — PUBLIC WOEKS . 



217 



neous and contingent expenditure. For the efficient 
superintendence, however, of this radically important 
department a European officer, or a native versed in 
the European mode of keeping accounts, will always 
be needed, as the treasury transactions relate, not only 
to Mysore, but to all the requirements of Her Majesty's 
forces stationed at Bangalore. In the accounts of the 
province, the substitution of Kanarese for English is an 
easy matter, the former being already in use in the 
accounts sent in from the sub-divisions. It will be 
seen from the schedule of revenue at the beginning of 
this paper that the income-tax is not in force in Mysore, 
the Moturfa, or tax on trades and professions, taking 
its place ; so that only English officers pay income-tax. 
The Moturfa is an ancient impost, well suited to the 
country, and being subject to revision every year, is as 
free from objection as any direct tax can well be. 

Only nine articles now pay custom duties, betel-nut 
producing more than half the whole sum raised. 

There is only one department of the administration 
the future constitution of which will need anxious 
consideration, inasmuch as native prejudices on the 
subject are strong. It is that of the Public Works, 
the efficient supervision of which is of vital importance 
in a country containing 20,000 tanks and numerous 
irrigation channels. 

It is useless to bring against the department stale 

GO JL 

charges of bad work, rotten contracts, and knavery of 
subordinates. Allegations to this effect were not un- 
frequently substantiated, but a remedy for them lias 
not yet been found. Subordinates may be punished, 



218 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



contracts may be annulled, and better work may, per- 
haps, be secured by higher payments, but by none of 
these contrivances will the department be made capable 
of being managed by a native agency. 

It is often recommended that natives should be 
trained to serve in the department, a scientific edu- 
cation being imparted to them ; but the reply to this 
advice is that eligible young men will not become 
engineers, and it is idle to suppose that they are to be 
had for the asking. The writer can assert, without 
fear of contradiction, that natives of good family 
dislike the active professional life of an engineer, that 
they shun the exposure and hard work, and that they 
infinitely prefer sedentary pursuits, such as are open to 
them in revenue employ. 

To add to the present unfavorable state of matters, 
the few trained natives who, in former days, performed 
the functions of surveyors, and were competent to 
superintend extensive works, are no longer available, 
being old and worn out. 

In the present dearth, therefore, of competent native 
engineers, and the improbability, to say the least, of 
such officers being forthcoming in this generation, there 
is no help for it but to maintain a certain portion of 
the Public Works Department as it now exists. Indeed, 
a superintending Engineer of Irrigation, to counsel on 
all important projects, and to supervise and control local 
officials will be indispensable. 

Under native rule the obligations of the cultivators 
to attend to the up-keep of the tanks of the country, 
when once brought up to the required standard, can 



FUTURE DIFFICULTIES. — XATIVE STATES. 



219 



be more strictly enforced than at present. Some show 
of despotic authority appears to be absolutely necessary 
to secure the desired end. the agriculturists, like most 
other classes, requiring a certain amount of pressure to 
ensure prompt action, which is of the utmost import- 
ance when heavy floods threaten the stability of irriga- 
tion works. 

If the attention of the Government of India is 
directed towards the points above enumerated, and if 
steps are taken to introduce the native element more 
freely into administrative offices, there is no apparent 
reason why the Baja, on attaining his majority, should 
not be able to form a strong governing agency, which 
will conduct the affairs of the province to the satisfac- 
tion of the Supreme Government, and to the content- 
ment of the people. But, if matters are allowed to 
train on as at present, without an effort being made to 
forestal future difficulties, it is much to be feared that 
the young chief will be unfairly beset by perplexities, 
the solution of which devolves properly not upon him, 
but upon the British Government. 

Are native States a tower of strength, or a standing 
menace to the British Government ? It is useless to 
discuss the errors of the past, and to criticise the policy 
of twenty years ago, 4 Tempore mutantur, et nos mu- 
tarnur cum illis.' As regards the future, the minds of 
all native Princes in India have been tranquillised by 
the Queen's Proclamation of 1858, and by the wise steps 
taken by Lord Canning to recognise the right of adop- 
tion, so that annexation will be unknown, except in 
rare cases of bequest or rebellion. The utmost that 



220 MYSORE, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 



the paramount Power would do would be to set aside 
an incompetent ruler, and to nominate his successor, or 
to superintend the affairs of a State for a few years, or 
during a minority. 

Most of the native chiefs maintain larger bodies of 
armed men than are needed, either for show, or for the 
security of their territories, and, although the pay given 
is individually small, the total outlay is large, and the 
heavy expenditure not only entails on the people many 
a vexatious impost, but retards the improvements of 
the country. The other main defect, to which atten- 
tion has already been drawn, is that too much is 
ordinarily left to the personal caprice of the ruler, 
owing to the absence of a well-regulated form of go- 
vernment ; and this unsettled state of matters may, in 
the case of obstinacy and folly on the part of the chief, 
engender revolt among his subjects, necessitating the 
intervention of the British power, or hurry him blindly 
into hostilities against it. Ill-governed native States, 
with a large standing army, are undoubtedly a source 
of danger, and it should be the object of the paramount 
Power to reduce their armaments to the lowest possible 
limit, consistently with treaty obligations. Any politi- 
cal cohesion among native princes, of a nature adverse 
to our interests, is now scarcely practicable, and it may 
be hoped that an appeal to their religious prejudices 
would fail of effect, as, during the last twelve years, 
they have witnessed the inauguration and consolidation 
of a new order of things, in which their rights and 
privileges have been jealously guarded by the British 
Government. They have therefore every motive to 



SERVICE IN NATIVE STATES ATTRACTIVE. 



221 



be loyal, and could not look for greater consideration, 
either from a foreign invader, or from any indigenous 
power which might rise up supreme in India. 

There is ample scope for improvement in all the 
native States of India, and some of them indeed are 
notoriously ill- governed, but they offer to their subjects 
a field for eminent talent and ability, which is sought 
for in vain in British territory. Everyone of good 
family has a chance of rising to the summit of power, 
and it is needless to point out the attraction of this to 
men of mark. Though much remains to be done, the 
force of circumstances has compelled the chiefs of 
India to improve in many respects the condition of 
their States, but, in all substantial points, such as the 
security of life and property, the regular administration 
of justice, and the mode of collecting the land-tax, the 
residents of British territory are better circumstanced 
than their neighbours. Gross oppression, such as is 
not unfrequently witnessed in native States, is, if not 
wholly unknown, extremely rare, and, when detected, 
is severely punished ; but the oriental mind dislikes 
rigid rules which work with the regularity of a ma- 
chine, leaving little latitude for the talents of indivi- 
duals, and it is therefore not surprising that to men 
of ability, notwithstanding the precariousness of their 
position, service under a native ruler should be more 
attractive than employment under the British Govern- 
ment. 



COORG LAND. 



Few parts of India are more picturesque than the 
little hill province of Coorg, and nowhere can be 
found a more gallant and loyal race than its in- 
habitants. 

Shut in on three sides by stupendous mountains, and 
on the fourth by an almost impenetrable bamboo 
jungle, this primitive country might long have re- 
mained unknown to the world, had not the insane 
folly of its last ruler precipitated a conflict with the 
British Government, which led to his dethronement, 
and the annexation of his territory, with the free con- 
sent of all his subjects, to the English Crown. 

The history of Coorg barely reaches back 250 years, 
and there are in fact no native records of an older date 
than the commencement of the present century ; from 
which unfavorable conclusions might be drawn as to 
the character of the population, were it not that 
personal contact with them fully absolves them from 
the charge of barbarism. 

It could not well happen, indeed, that the denizens 
of a country where the aspect of nature is singularly- 
beautiful, should be without some traits of character to 
interest and attract, and we find accordingly that the 
Coorgs are a hardy and athletic race, rejoicing in field 



224 



COOEG LAND. 



sports and manly games, and with a justifiable pride in 
their fine fatherland. 

Coorg, properly called Kodagu, or Kurg, is a small 
mountainous province on the eastern slope of the great 
Ghat range of Southern India. It lies between Man- 
jarabad in Mysore, and the British territory of Wainad, 
and, like both of these districts, is now well known in 
connection with the coffee trade. 

It contains 2,400 square miles of country, and a 
population of 113,000, or only forty-seven to the 
square mile, classified as follows : — 



Coorgs 24,585 

Hindus, not Coorgs 73,638 

Muhammadans 5,774 

Aboriginal tribes 7,050 

Jains 224 

Parsis . . ., 22 

Native Christians 1,071 

Eurasians 490 

Europeans 98 



Total .... 112,952 

The total receipts of the Province in 1869-70 were 
59,446/., the taxation falling at the rate of five shillings 
per head. 

The various sources of income are given in the 
accompanying table : — 



Rupees. 

1. Land Eevenue 2,86,560 

2. Forest . . . . . . . 1,06,658 

3. Excise 66,375 

4. Assessed Taxes .... 3,028 

5. Stamps 33,742 

6. Post-office 7,0.10 



Carried forward, Eupees . . 5,03,373 



INCOME AND CHARGES. 



225 



Brought forward 

7. Telegraph 

8. Judicial . 

9. Registration Fees 

10. Public Works . 

11. Miscellaneous . 

12. Local Funds . 

Total, Rupees 



5,03,373 
1,864 
5,075 
1,847 
70,480 
7,302 
4,519 

5,94,460 or £59,446 



It is a notable fact that out of the total raised as 
land revenue, namely, 28,656/., about one-third was 
produced by the assessment on land bearing coffee, 
which product therefore contributes greatly to the 
resources of the province. 

During the same period the charges were — 



Rup< 



1. Civil and Political Establishments . 


1,54,763 


2. Judicial Charges . 


19,308 


3. Stamps 


2,533 


4. Police Charges . 


1,152 


5. Military 


2,13,944 


6. Superannuation Payments 


1,973 


7. Ecclesiastical . 


4,836 


8. Allowances under Treaties 


21,470 


9. Public Works .... 


. 1,24,651 


10. Education .... 


14,088 


11. Miscellaneous .... 


7,873 


12. Local Funds .... 


2,322 


13. Post-office . 


5,386 


14. Telegraph .... 


19,859 


Total, Rupees 


5,94,158 



The province therefore pays its way, including the 
charges for an entire regiment of Dative infantry, but 
the grant for Public Works is wholly insufficient. 

Coorg comprises six divisions, which are sub-divided 
as follows : — 

Q 



226 



COORG LAND. 



1. Merkara 


2. Yedenalk 3. Padinalk 
Nad 1 1 Nad 


4. Kigat Nad 


5. Nanjrajpatan 


6. Yelusavira 
Suime 


1. Madakere Hor- 

mal nad 

2. Kagodal nad 

3. Horur Ntirok- 

kal nad 

4. Kantamur nad 

5. Hndigere Mun- 

dappa nad 

6. Mudigere nad 

7. Haleri Badi- 

gere nM 


1. Yedenalk 

nad 

2. Beppunad 

3. A mi at nad 


1. Padinalk 

nad 

2. Kadi at 

nad 

3. Thava nad 

4. Benganad 

5. Kuingere 

nad 


L tS^lnad 
i\iai e j 

2. Tavalgere ) 
Kurchitore J naa 

3. Hatgat \ 
Aragere fnad 
Tirunalk ) 

4. Bitiat \ 
Kirigiir 1 . , 
Kutta f nacl 
Beruli J 


1. G-addi nad 

2. Yedawa nad 

3. SuiiabiMutur 

nad 

4. Nanjraipatan 

H6bU 2 

5. Bamaswami 

Kaniwe 3 


1. Kodli 

H6bli 

2. Bilhada 

H6bli 

3. Nirata 

H6bli 



The whole of the Nads are hill country. The Yelu- 
savira Shime, and two sub-divisions of Nanjrajpatan are 
outside the hill barriers, and in the plains. 

The only towns in the province are — 

Name. Locality. Population. 

1. Mahadeopete or M6rkara Mdrkara sub-division . 3,859 

2. Virarajpett . . . Yedenalknad sub-division 2,922 

3. Fraserpett . . . Nanjrajpatan sub-division 1,181 

4. Somawarpett . . , Nanjrajpatan subdivision- 915 

5. Kodlipett . . . Yelusavira Shime" sub-div. 733 

6. Saniwarsante . . . Yelusavira Shfme sub-div. 500 

With these exceptions, there are neither towns nor 
villages, the people living in farm-houses, each man on 
his own estate, a certain number of such farms com- 
prising what, for administrative purposes, is called a 
village. 

In order to obtain a tolerably accurate idea of the 
configuration of Coorg, it is desirable to ascend the 
principal mountains of the country, splendid hills that 
tower aloft above their compeers, and open to view 
the numerous secluded vallies and dense forests with 
which the province abounds. 

On the northern frontier, in the Nanjrajpatan divi- 

1 A Kanarese word used in Coorg and Mysore to denote a division of 
hill country. 

3 A division of plain country. 3 A gorge between hills. 



PUSHTAGIRI MOUNTAIN. 



227 



sion, the Kumar Parvat, called by the Coorgs Pushpa- 
giri or Pupgiri, that is, the Flower Hill, by its bold and 
almost inaccessible sides seems to oppose an insur- 
mountable barrier to the invader. In fact, all access 
to it from the north is impracticable, except by a long 
and toilsome climb of twelve miles up the slopes of the 
hill from the Subhramani temple in Canara. On the 
Coorg side, the approach, though much shorter, is very 
steep and difficult, while the natives regard with some 
fear the dense jungles at the foot of the mountain, as 
they are frequently infested by herds of wild elephants. 
These animals, notwithstanding that the mountain is 
5,500 feet above the sea, often contrive to climb up 
the steep wooded sides to the summit, feeding on 
favorite trees as they make their way upwards. The 
Coorgs have another reason for regarding the hill with 
superstitious dread, as on the extreme point one sees, 
within a small stone enclosure, apparent marks of two 
feet, which are regarded as of celestial origin. The 
few devotees who have the courage to visit the lofty 
mountain, put up, in commemoration of their pilgri- 
mage, heaps of stones, of which one observes great 
numbers all around. 

Looking over the rugged precipitous northern face, 
the whole of the coffee district of Manjarabad lies like 
a map beneath one, the stupendous Ghat range of the 
JSTagar country towering up in the distance beyond. 
Turning round, one sees to the south the great chain 
of mountains which encircles Coorg on the west like a 
high wall, shutting it out from the low country on the 
coast, and terminating in the lofty Brahmagiri which 

Q 2 



228 



COORG LAND. 



divides Coorg from Wainad. To the east is the 
Mysore plateau, dotted over with drugs and peaks, 
while to the west, if the day be fine, a distant view of 
the ocean rewards the observer. 

This grand hill has not often been visited by Euro- 
peans, but being a prominent landmark on all sides, it 
has of course not escaped the attention of the Trigono- 
metrical Survey, whose officers have planted on its 
summit one of their triumphant marks. 

In the centre of North Coorg, the Highlands of the 
district, with an average elevation of 3,500 feet, is the 
fine mountain called Kote Betta, or the Fortress Hill, 
an immense mass, with a flat black summit, which, on 
a misty day, looms out like a great whale. Kote Betta 
is also in the Nanjrajpatan division, and is a favorable 
point of view for studying the topography of the 
northern portion of the district, as it commands a great 
stretch of country, and because, as in the case of the 
Mysore Drugs, good water is found on the summit. 
The hill is about 5,000 feet above sea level, but is 
comparatively easy of access. 

The Coorg Highlands are the wildest part of the 
province, a mass of hills, in fact, with but little forest, 
and sparsely inhabited. The people are mostly Lin- 
gayats, 1 and not pure Coorgs, the latter being found 
chiefly in the central tracts, where cultivated land is 
more abundant. The climate, however, of the High- 
lands is eminently salubrious, and Somawarpett, a small 
town on the outskirts, enjoys a good reputation in this 
respect. 

1 So called from their wearing the ( lingam/ or emblem of the god Siva. 



TADIAXDA MOL PEAK.— -BKAIDIAGIEI. 



229 



The third mountain which calls for remark is 
Tadianda M61, a beautiful peak in the Padinalk Nad di- 
vision, which rears its head to a height of 5,600 feet, and 
is the loftiest in the province. Being in a central part 
of the Ghat range, Tadianda M61 is perhaps the best 
elevated point from which to survey Coorg, while the 
ascent from the Naiknad palace at its foot only occu- 
pies two hours. It is an easy climb till one reaches 
the actual peak, where the ascent is naturally steep. 
As soon as the fleecy mist which generally covers the 
country in the morning clears off, a splendid view is 
obtained of the little Coorg paradise, as well as of the 
distant Mysore ranges of hills, and of the sea to the 
westward. All the mountain sides are clothed with 
primaeval forests full of the finest trees, while in the 
vallies far beneath one descries the emerald bits of 
cultivation which denote the presence of the Coorg 
farmer, whose substantial dwelling is seen hard by, 
half hid, however, by bamboos, plantains, and um- 
brageous trees. 

Fourth on the list of the higher hills is the Brah- 
magiri, called in Mysore Devasi Betta, a long range 
which separates Coorg from Wainad, and which is 
nearly as substantial a barrier on the south as the 
Pushpagiri on the north. It is in the Kigatnad 
division. The ascent to the highest peak is not less 
than six miles, passing over alternate rises and falls for 
three miles, when a tough pull takes one to the higher 
range. Here one passes over undulating downs, with 
occasional patches of forest in the gullies, called in 
Southern India ' Sholas,' till one reaches the foot of a 



230 



COOKG LAND. 



sharp ridge leading to the top of the peak. Perched 
on the summit, one has a strikingly fine view of 
Wainad at one's feet, with its numerous coffee planta- 
tions, and the Mlgiri mountains in the distance be- 
yond. To the eastward is the dense jungle which 
divides Coorg from Mysore, the Muguclu, or triple 
boundary of these provinces and of Wainad, being 
eight miles off. The Kigatnad division of Coorg, 
which is, as compared with the central and northern 
parts, an open country, lies much lower than the rest 
of the province. Owing to this circumstance, though 
the ascent to the Brahmagiri is toilsome, the descent 
on the Wainad side is not very severe, the level of that 
province being higher than that of South Coorg. The 
Coorgs of Kiga.tnad are of somewhat darker com- 
plexion than those farther north. 

The Brahmagiri has an elevation of about 4,500 feet, 
being, therefore, considerably lower than Pushpagiri or 
Tadianda M61, but it is equally revered by the Coorgs, 
as from it issues the Lakshmantirtha river, one of the 
affluents of the sacred Kaveri, and itself a stream of no 
small repute. It is a picturesque little burn, springing 
from a fountain two miles from Kurchi, where there is 
a small temple of indifferent construction in honor of 
the deity. 

Besides the four hills mentioned, there are many 
others of local celebrity, of which that where the 
Kaveri rises deserves notice. The source of this sacred 
stream is called Tala Kaveri, or the Head of the Kaveri, 
the tiny rivulet trickling out between two hills called 
Brahmagiri and Agnigiri. It is received into a small 



SOURCE OF KAVERI. — YELUSAVIEA SHIME. 231 

reservoir, which is greatly venerated, and visited by 
hosts of pilgrims. Further on, at Bhagamandalam, it 
meets another stream called the Kanke. There is only 
a petty temple at Tala Kaveri, which is in an elevated 
wild tract three miles from civilisation, but at the Oc- 
tober festival, crowds of devotees encamp on the spot, 
and perform their vows. At Bhagamandalam there is 
a large temple which enjoys an endowment of 600Z. a 
year, and is reputed to be an ancient edifice. Inac- 
cessible as is the country about Tala Kaveri, there is a 
pass in the vicinity, called Tarikanna, which was for- 
merly much in use, but is said to be now impracticable. 

Although the general direction of the Ghat range is 
north and south, the hills which intersect the interior 
of the province are so varied in shape, height, and di- 
rection, and, at the same time, so numerous, that, small 
as is the area of the country, it must be repeatedly 
traversed, and much fatigue must be undergone in 
climbing the principal mountains before an accurate 
idea can be formed of the peculiarities of the district. 
Besides the hills already mentioned, there are a few 
others of note, such as Swami Betta, called by Europeans 
Mt. Eemarkable, near the Periambadi Pass, and Malimbi 
Betta, a fine conical hill in the Yelusavira division. This 
division is, however, beyond the barriers of Coorg, and 
formed no part of the province originally, having been 
a recent conquest. It derives its name from its revenue 
4 yelu ' seven, and £ savira ' thousand, that is the seven 
thousand (pagoda) territory, this amount being its as- 
sumed revenue. The division is in the low country, 
and in its characteristics resembles Mysore rather than 



232 



COORG LAND. 



Coorg, while the people are essentially different from 
the true Coorgs. 

. The commencement of the Hindu year is generally 
signalised on the Coorg mountains by deafening claps 
of thunder, which reverberate and roll through the val- 
lies with a roar which appals new comers. The thun- 
der-storms are often accompanied by heavy showers, 
which suddenly chill the air, and portend the coming 
up from the sea of the regular monsoon. The baro- 
meter frequently changes, and its lapid alternations show 
that strife is waging among the elements, wind and calm, 
hot air and cool sea-borne breezes, following one another 
in rapid succession. At length, about the beginning of 
June, this fitful state of things ceases, and the south- 
west monsoon obtains the mastery, retaining it till the 
end of August, and pouring forth during this period 
those beneficent showers which bring with them plenty 
and happiness to the people. But the raw damp cold 
is very trying to those not inured to the climate, the 
country is enveloped in perpetual mist, communications 
are interrupted, and those who can get away, take 
refuge below the hill barriers. 

As the north-east monsoon passes first over the 
Mysore plateau, its effect is not much felt in Coorg. At 
this season, a few heavy showers fall, after which the 
weather clears up, and uninterrupted sunshine cha- 
racterises the glorious winter of the Coorg moun- 
tains. 

Coorg, being visited by copious torrents of rain, is 
the treasure-house from which the districts of the plains 
draw much of their wealth, but the considerable rivers 



THE KAVE1U. 



233 



which rise in the province cut their way through such 
high banks that their fertilising properties are not 
utilised in Coorg itself, and it is only when one enters 
Mysore that the great value of their irrigating powers 
is practically tested. In Coorg, though there is an 
abundant rainfall, averaging in some parts yearly 120 
inches, there are few works of irrigation, but the rea- 
son is apparent when one considers that in this moun- 
tain tract there are a thousand streams, coursing down 
the hillsides, and supplying water at every man's door 
nearly. 

The Kaveri, with virgin modesty, steals its way 
silently under the cover of lofty overhanging banks and 
thick forest for the greater part of its course through 
Coorg. One may be encamped only a few yards from 
the stream, and yet be unaware of its proximity, owing 
to the dense growth of wood on its sides. When 
swollen by floods, however, it is very deep, and be- 
comes impassable, cutting off all communication between 
the chief towns of Merkara and Yirarajpett. It is 
bridged at Fraserpett where it leaves Coorg, but no- 
where else. 

As in the case of all the great Indian streams, my- 
thology and poetry have combined to cast a sacred halo 
over this river, investing it with the rays of divinity 
and the charms of modesty; and, in truth, when one 
reflects upon the priceless boon which its waters bestow 
on the parched-up lands of the plains^ it is no wonder 
that the grateful recipients of its bounty should weave 
a romantic tale about its celestial origin. This Indian 
Undine, in silence and seclusion, performs her peniten- 



234 



COOEG LAND. 



tial homage in order to obtain the beatitude of her foster 
father, the sage Kavera Muni, while the stream into 
which she is transformed, after stealing almost unper- 
ceived away from its birthplace, when it enters Mysore, 
assumes the majestic mien of a goddess, and thunder- 
ing over rocky channels, pursues an impetuous course 
till it dashes itself over the magnificent falls at Siva- 
samudram. 

The Lakshmantirtha, which rises in the Brahmagiri 
hills of South Coorg, is an affluent of the Kaveri, and 
is also utilised as soon as it enters Mysore, several irri- 
gation channels being taken from it in that province. 
In Coorg, it flows through forests, and has steep banks, 
so that no direct benefit is derived from its waters, but 
the supply is constant. 

The other rivers of the province, namely the 
Hatti Hole, or Fish river, flowing into the Kaveri, 
and the Kal Hole, or Stone river (mentioned in the 
despatches of the Duke of Wellington), are of in- 
ferior note. The Hemawati, which is a Mysore stream, 
traverses a portion of the Yelusavira division, and oilers 
considerable impediments to the traffic between Coorg 
and Manjarabad. 

Before the annexation of the country in 1834, and for 
many years afterwards, there was no cart road in it, the 
only available means of carriage being pack bullocks or 
coolees. In the clays of the Coorg Eajas, trade was very 
restricted, and the hills so rarely traversed by British 
troops, that their little territory remained almost un- 
known. The only communication much used was a 
defile passing under the Sidheshwar hill, where a strong 



COMMUNICATION'S . 



235 



okhad, or outpost, defied all approach on the frontier : 
a stone was erected with ' Vi,' for Viraraj, on one side, 
and 4 De,' the Mysore device, on the other, marking the 
boundary between the two provinces. The pass at this 
point led over hills, covered with thick wood, into 
Coorg ; but the country is so difficult, and the bamboo 
jungle so impervious to troops, that the Coorg chiefs 
were able to offer a formidable resistance to an attacking 
force. 

After the dethronement of the last Eaja, one of the 
first duties undertaken by the British Government was 
to secure a thorough communication, for military pur- 
poses, with the coast. This was accomplished by the 
formation of two roads, one entering Coorg at Fraser- 
pett, and leading via Merkara, to Mangalore, by the 
Sampaji Ghat, and the other entering the district a 
little to the south, and leading, via Viraraj pett, to Can- 
nanore by the Periambadi Ghat. The first of these 
comprises a descent of twenty miles from Merkara to 
Sampaji, the pass being well and skilfully laid out. The 
second is a descent of thirteen miles from Periambadi 
to the Stony river on the frontier; but, though the 
gradient is not severe, the line is not so well laid out 
as the first-named, and is more difficult to keep in 
order. 

These two great arteries, though quite sufficient for 
military purposes, are altogether inadequate for the re- 
quirements of the district, now that every corner of it 
has been opened up by European enterprise, and it has 
consequently been found necessary to devise communi- 
cations north and south, in deference to the repeated 



236 



COORG LAND. 



applications of the planters, to whom the country owes 
so much of its prosperity. 

Coorg is an example of a small hill district, with a 
limited revenue of 57,000/., where the communications 
are at all times maintained with great difficulty, and 
where large streams are so numerous that to bridge 
them all would swallow up for an indefinite period the 
whole revenue of the country. To bridge the Kaveri, 
for instance, between Merkara and Yirarajpett, where 
such a work is much wanted, would, at present rates, 
probably cost not less than 20,000/., its width during 
the rainy season being considerable, and its velocity 
great. Even during the dry months, its rocky bed con- 
tains nearly three feet of water, with deep pools at inter- 
vals, so that boats are generally needed to cross it. 

It may also be remarked, that the maintenance of 
roads in a hill-country like Coorg, where the gradients 
are steep, and bridges are liable to be carried away by 
the impetuosity of sudden floods, is a fruitful source of 
expense. Even the industry of the planters, who have 
done so much for the district, has a prejudicial effect 
upon the communications, for which there is no ade- 
quate remedy. Formerly, when the monsoon burst 
on the crest of the Ghats, which were covered with 
dense wood, the contents of the rain clouds, which 
descended on the hills, were absorbed in the rich 
mould which lay at the feet of the stately trees, and 
the moisture made its way -only gradually to the lower 
levels. But since the hillsides have been denuded of 
the giants of the forests, and slender coffee plants have 
taken their place, the heavy rains have washed away 



PREJUDICIAL EFFECTS OF CLEARING FORESTS. 237 



the surface soil, and the waters rush violently down the 
hillsides, meeting with no resistance where the deep 
mould formerly stayed their course ; and, should they 
encounter a bridge in their descent, too frequently tear 
up its foundations, and destroy the roadway also. 

The magnificent trees which clothe the Coorg moun- 
tains, not only embellish greatly the landscape, but 
have, it is said, a potent influence on the annual rain- 
fall by attracting the clouds. The Coorgs assert that, 
since planting operations have been extensively carried 
on, their country is much drier than it used to be ; but 
although, as above pointed out, the denudation of trees 
has the effect of precipitating the showers violently 
down the face of the hills, no proof has as yet been 
adduced that the actual yearly rainfall has diminished. 

Upon a copious rainfall mainly depends the prosperity 
of the district ; for although an adventitious stimulus 
has been given to it by growing coffee, rice is the 
staple food of the people, and abundant showers are 
necessary, in the absence of artificial irrigation, to 
produce the yearly crop, Even for coffee, tea, and 
cinchona, plentiful and timely rain is needed, the 
absence of the periodical fall bringing with it not 
only drought, but the destructive insects which follow 
a dry season. 

Of all parts of Coorg, the Kigatnad division appears 
to be most fertile, owing probably to its lower level and 
the abundance of water consequently supplied to it. 
The soil is of a darker hue than in the other divisions, 
which is attributed to the thick deposit of vegetable 
substances brought down from the hills ; but this seems 



238 



COOKG LAjNTD. 



to affect the climate prejudicially, South Coorg being 
so unhealthy that Europeans residing in it almost 
invariably suffer from a bad type of fever ; and even 
the natives, by their dusky complexions, show the 
effect on the constitution of the moist black soil. 

In Northern and Central Coorg, the soil is mostly 
dark red, and in the vallies is highly productive ; but 
there is a large proportion of waste and unculturable 
land in the Highlands. Eice is the great crop of all the 
hill country, but in the plains, in Yelusavira Shime, and 
JSTanjrajpatan, the productions are similar to those of 
the adjoining parts of Mysore, dry grains being ex- 
tensively grown. 

Were it not for the heavy rains which deluge the 
country, its elevation and favorable temperature 1 would 
lead a person to think that the European fauna would 
thrive in Coorg. Certain fruits do succeed well, espe- 
cially oranges, limes, shaddocks, and plantains ; but 
these are natives of the soil. European vegetables 
have been tried with fair success by planters. 

The appearance of the Coorg farm houses in the 
spring is very picturesque, as, besides the cultivated 
plants, the hedges teem with a profusion of roses and 
other wild flowers. 

Of the products of the forests mention will be made 
in treating of the results of coffee planting as carried 
on in the district. 

In former days, when, to a native mind, the merit of 

1 At Merkara, 3,700 feet above the sea, the extreme range of the 
thermometer is about 80° indoors, and the average 60°. Somawarpett 
also enjoys an equable temperature, but, south of Virarajpett, the ther- 
mometer stands much higher. 



DIFFICULT COUNTRY. — COORG NADS. 239 

a territory was its inaccessibility, few States enjoyed 
such an immunity from invasion as Co org, the only 
approaches to it being through dense tangled woods, 
or up the face of steep mountains, clothed with forest 
trees, and cut up by stony water-courses. The Sid- 
heshwar route already mentioned, and the Heggala Pass 
to the west, were the only communications practicable 
to troops ; and even these could be easily defended 
against superior forces. 

Owing to this seclusion, and the poverty of the 
country, this little Alpine region remained almost un- 
known till the time of the sturdy Haidar Ali, who, 
having conquered all the hill tracts of Mysore, carried 
his arms also into Coorg, meeting with little resistance. 
Having established his ascendency, he built a fort at 
Merkara, now the chief town of the province, inside 
which was afterwards erected the Eaja's palace. 

It is not to be supposed, however, that, prior to the 
advent of Haidar Ali, there was no settled government 
in the country, for, at an early date, it appears to have 
been parcelled out into Nads, or communes. The ex- 
tent and configuration of these depended in a great 
measure upon the natural boundaries furnished by the 
various chains of hills which cross the province ; but 
as, owing to the prevailing system of compulsory labour, 
slaves were available in large numbers, the limits of 
each nad were also defined by cutting deep ditches 
called 6 kadangs.' These still constitute the boundaries 
of divisions and villages, and are scrupulously main- 
tained, so that any attempt to alter such landmarks 
is immediately resented. In the case of individual 



240 



COORG LAXD. 



holdings, stones are generally put up to identify the 
limits of each property. Disputes regarding such 
boundaries are not uncommon, it being easy to remove 
the stones clandestinely. 

Tradition says that the thirty-five nads into which 
Coorg was anciently divided, were shared by twelve 
chiefs, who enjoyed the privilege of being preceded by 
Kombhukars or horn men, six of them being of note. 

The primitive Kodagaru, or Coorgs, were divided 
into Amma Kodagaru (who anciently exercised priestly 
functions, but fell under the displeasure of the goddess 
Kaveri), and secular Coorgs. The latter were of three 
branches — San, Bud, and Male, of which the San only 
are numerous at present. 

About 250 years ago, a Lingayat of the Ikkeri 
country emigrated to Coorg, and pursued there, it is 
said, the calling of a teacher. It is not stated whether 
he professed to be a religious preceptor, though this is 
probable ; but in course of time he contrived to levy a 
share of the grain of many villages, and at length 
acquired so much influence, that he usurped the sove- 
reignty of the whole province. He was the ancestor 
of the Coorg Eajas, who wielded an authority which was 
so implicitly obeyed, that one cannot but suppose that 
so brave a race as the Coorgs must have attributed to 
their rulers a divine origin, or rights derived direct 
from the deity, or they would scarcely have shown 
such unbounded respect to Eajas who seemed to have 
madness in their veins. 

The first chief established himself at a place called 
Haleri, about eight miles north of Merkara, and gave to 



HALERI DYNASTY. — MYSORE CONQUESTS. 



241 



his newly-acquired possessions the title of the Haleri 
Samasthan, or Haleri sovereignty, an appellation which 
it continued to bear, officially, down to the dethrone- 
ment of the last Eaja. The family pedigree, so far as 
it can be traced, is given opposite : — 

The history of the family is almost a blank till the in- 
vasion of Haidar Ali, to whom little resistance seems to 
have been offered, as the Coorgs, however individually 
brave, were unable to resist the conqueror's entrance into 
their country, or to encounter him in the field. But, 
although his troops were far superior to the Coorg levies, 
the subjugation of the province was difficult and unpro- 
fitable, as the country was inaccessible j and the simple 
habits of the people promised little spoil. As command- 
ing, however, the approach to Mysore from the west, 
the occupation of Coorg became a necessity, and both 
Haidar Ali and his son Tippu Sultan were fully aware 
of its importance. To the latter, the Coorg Wodiar, 
though a fugitive or a prisoner, was a dangerous enemy, 
as being the head of a hardy race of mountaineers, 
who could ill brook subjection, and might at any time 
be a thorn in his side. Accordingly, at the close of 
the first war with the British, when Sir John Kennaway 
was deputed to negotiate the treaty of Seringapatam in 
1792, although the Mysore sovereign agreed to cede 
half his territories to the allies, he for some time stoutly 
resisted the surrender of Coorg, even although little or 
no revenue had been received from it for several years. 
His agents called it the gate of Seringapatam, and 
pleaded hard for its retention by their master, their 
persistence being so great that it was only cut short by a 

R 



242 



COORG LAND. 



positive refusal of the Governor-General to abandon his 
faithful ally the Eaja. During our long struggle with 
Tippu, the Coorg chief had uniformly aided us to the 
best of his power against the tyrant who had held his 
country in thraldom, and was rewarded for his steady 
allegiance. The province was, however, only valued 
at 8,000 Kantirai pagodas, out of a total of more than 
13,000,000 ceded to the Company. 

In fact, although no regular revenue had been col- 
lected from Coorg, it had constantly been harried by 
the Mysore troops and its Eaja imprisoned, so that it 
seemed a worthless possession financially. Nor did 
matters improve much till the close of the second war 
with Tippu in 1799, when the gallant chief of the 
Coorgs, who had invariably defied his power and assisted 
his enemies, was at length able to breathe freely. 

Dodda Yira Eajendra or Yira Eajendra the Great, 
was the Wodiar or Eaja, who had struggled through 
the troublous time of the Mysore usurpers, having suc- 
ceeded in 1780 his father LingaEaj, who, however, left 
him nothing but a bare title. On his accession to the 
throne, after the fall of Seringapatam, he came into an 
impoverished inheritance, but as he conducted his 
affairs with prudence and economy for several years, he 
was soon enabled to display some of that pomp and 
circumstance which are so dear to Hindu rulers. The 
feudal tenure on which the Coorgs hold their lands, 
rendered it possible for their Eaja to make a great 
display at the principal yearly festivals, when all his 
subjects attended in person and contributed to the eclat 
of his petty court. So, when the chief went to hunt 



RAJA DODDA VERA KAJEXDEA. 



243 



elephants or bison, it was the custom for all the head- 
men of the Nad which he honoured with his presence to 
accompany him so long as he remained in their com- 
mune. The few Englishmen who held communication 
with the Eaja, describe him as most solicitous to show 
them every attention, to amuse them by sporting excur- 
sions and rights between wild beasts, and to testify 
markedly his respect for the nation which had rescued 
him from the oppressor. 

Unfortunately, a year or two before his death, Dodda 
Vira Eajendra showed symptoms of insanity, and al- 
though he maintained his friendly relations with the 
British Government, he gave way to great excesses, 
and took away the lives of hundreds of his subjects 
during sudden bursts of rage and madness. During 
lucid intervals, his conduct was irreproachable, but 
the fits of insanity became more frequent and fearful, 
till they terminated in his death in 1809. 

He had three illegitimate, but no legitimate sons, his 
legitimate offspring being confined to five daughters. 
Of these, one married the Eaja of Sode, or Sunda, in 
North Canara, a small territory which subsequently 
lapsed. The second, Devammaji } was selected as suc- 
cessor to her father, and placed under the guardianship 
of her uncle Linga Eajj younger brother of Dodda Yira 
Eaj, a crafty individual, who assumed a character for 
sanctity, and pretended to abjure all wish to ascend the 
throne. He soon, however, threw off his disguise,- and 
in 1811, having placed his niece in confinement, usurped 
her authority. 

Like his brother, Linga Eajendra continued on good 

B 2 



244 



COORG LAND. 



terms with the British, but ruled his country in a tyran- 
nical manner. He was not, however, devoid of ability, 
and directed his attention to the resources of the pro- 
vince, forming a valuable record of the revenue of each 
Nad in a kind of Domesday or Visitation Book, called 
a 4 Shisht,' wherein is entered the holding of every 
farmer, with details of cultivated land, grazing land, 
and forest, the whole forming a valuable and tolerably 
accurate register of the landed tenures of Coorg. 

LingaEaj reigned from 18 11 to 1820, when he was suc- 
ceeded by his son Chikka Vira Eajendra, or Vira Eajendra 
the Less. This chief's reign of fourteen years was one 
long course of unmitigated tyranny, and it is a marvel 
that the Coorgs should have endured during that time 
the frightful cruelties which this bloodthirsty ruler per- 
petrated. He had, seemingly, not even the excuse of 
madness that condoned the wild bursts of passion which 
moved his uncle, but his jealous and suspicious disposi- 
tion led him to murder in cold blood all who fell under 
his displeasure, or were fancied foes to him. Short 
shrift was given to those who incurred his wrath. In 
the dead of the night, the unhappy prisoners were taken 
out secretly through a postern of the palace, conducted to 
a thick jungle, and there decapitated, the corpses being 
thrown into a pit, previously dug for the purpose. His 
own relations were the chief victims, and it is confi- 
dently stated that the whole of these were murdered 
by his orders, except his own wives and children, and 
his sister Devammaji, who fled to Mysore to avoid his 
persecution. All the descendants of his uncle Dodda 
Vira Eajendra were ruthlessly killed, including women 



BLOODY RULE OF CHIKKA VIRA RAJENDRA. 245 

and children ; and that the fidelity of this story may not 
be impugned, it may be stated that, only three years 
ago, a pit was discovered near the Naiknad palace, 
where were found the remains of some of the victims, 
those who executed them being present, to attest the 
truth of the horrid tale. 

In a corner of the courtyard of the Eaja's palace at 
Merkara, is a rudely fashioned elephant of the size of 
life. It is said that the Eaja used to take up a position 
in the balcony of the palace, armed with a rifle, and 
causing wretched prisoners to run across the yard from 
their place of confinement to the elephant, fire at them 
as they sped along, with the promise, however, of spar- 
ing their lives if they touched the elephant. As he 
was an excellent shot, the victims rarely succeeded in 
reaching the elephant unharmed. 

In course of time, the Eaja, forgetting all dictates 
of prudence, imprisoned and threatened the lives of 
British subjects, which necessitated the interference of 
the English Government. Being reminded of his 
obligations, and warned of the consequence of neglect- 
ing them, Chikka Vira Eajendra cunningly denied all 
the charges against him, but secretly practised still 
greater cruelties. At last, in 1834, having insulted 
his own sister, she, with her husband, fled to Mysore, 
putting herself under the protection of the Eesident at 
that Court. Her brother, warned too late of her flight, 
ordered an immediate pursuit, but this proving fruitless, 
he demanded her surrender from Mr. Casamaijor, an 
application which that officer properly refused com- 
pliance with. 



246 



COORG LAND. 



The Eaja then, despising all remonstrance, defied 
the British Government, and hostilities shortly after 
commenced. A feeble resistance was made to the 
English force, but it was clear that the Co orgs had 
little sympathy with their Eaja, who, finding his posi- 
tion untenable, fled from Merkara and took refuge at 
Naiknad, where he soon surrendered without a struggle. 
Before giving himself up, however, he wreaked his 
last bloody vengeance on those who had been his 
prisoners. Among those who then suffered was his 
minister, who was found hanging dead, though whether 
he was despatched by order of the Eaja, or whether 
he had hung himself from fear of the consequences of 
having abetted his master in his cruelties, was never 
ascertained. 

Chikka Vira Eajendra was at once removed from 
Coorg, to the great delight of the people, and sent 
to Benares. After a residence there of some years, 
he proceeded to England, where he died. One of 
his daughters, who added the august name of Her 
Majesty to her heathenish indigenous appellation of 
Gauramma, married an English gentleman. Two 
other daughters married Sir Jang Bahadur of Nepal, 
but the younger was sent back in disgrace to the family 
residence at Benares. Although attempts have been 
from time to time made by members of the family, 
by sending emissaries, to keep up their connection 
with Coorg, their overtures have not met with any 
response. 

As soon as the Eaja was removed from the country, 
the Coorg people, without a dissentient voice, voted 



PROVINCE ANNEXED. — COORG FARMERS. 247 

for the annexation of their territory to the British 
Crown, the province being one of the very few British 
possessions in India which has become such, not by 
conquest, but by the free consent of the population. 
Perhaps owing to this fact, the Government, to which 
they announced their adhesion in 1834, has, not with- 
out good reason, shown them constant indulgence, and 
an exceptional deference towards their feelings and 
prejudices. For instance, the slaughter of cattle in 
Coorg is, and is likely to remain, forbidden, so long as 
the people deprecate it, nor would it be prudent or 
just to ignore their feelings on the subject, in the face 
of a distinct promise given to them by Colonel Fraser 
at the time of annexation. 

While they yielded implicit reverence and devo- 
tion to their chief, the Coorgs exacted complete sub- 
mission to themselves within their own demesnes. 
The patriarchal system, under which they lived, vested 
the landed proprietors with great authority, and as 
slavery was rigidly enforced throughout Coorg, and 
each farmer had a considerable number of agrestic 
hinds on his land, undeviating submission to the head 
of the house was required. 

The more substantial proprietors reside in strongly- 
built thatched houses, with an inner court-yard in the 
centre open to the sky, provision being made to carry 
off the heavy rainfall, which in Coorg often amounts to 
120 inches in the year. Outer rooms are devoted to 
business and the reception of visitors, but the inner 
rooms are appropriated to the various members of the 
family, all of whom live under the same roof. The 



248 



COORG LAND. 



rooms are small, and have no outer windows, so that it 
is difficult to understand how sometimes sixty or eighty 
members of a family, comprising three or four genera- 
tions, manage to reside together. Indeed, owing to 
the superfluous inmates, it has of late years been neces- 
sary to depart from the ancient usage, the juniors being 
sent to live elsewhere. But a short time ago, the 
custom of polyandry prevailed among the Coorgs, to 
which it was partly owing that the brothers of a 
family lived together. This practice is nearly extinct, 
however, and any reference to it is unpalatable. In 
most of the farms are to be seen guns, and bows and 
arrows, hung up on beams, and many proprietors can 
turn out twenty fighting men at least. Quantities of 
provisions are stored up between the rafters and the 
roof, while outside, grain and stock are kept, cattle, pigs, 
and fowls being tolerably abundant. Vegetables of 
various kinds, plantains, jack-fruit, oranges, &c., are 
grown close to the farm-house, and in the neighbour- 
hood dwell the Holeyaru or labourers, who, from 
time immemorial, have lived on the estates of their 
Coorg masters. 

The non-Coorg Hindus, as distinguished from the 
Coorgs, who are the lords of the soil, amount to 74,000 
souls, comprising nearly three-quarters of the whole popu- 
lation. In this category are Holeyaru, Yerawas, Paleyas, 
Kurubaru, and various other low castes, the majority 
of whom are sons of the soil, and were serfs, till manu- 
mitted by the British Government. It is with difficulty 
that their former masters can retain their services now 
that planters pay them readily double wages, and many 



SERF POPULATION. — PECULIAR HOLDINGS. 249 



of the Yerawas, who are numerous in South Coorg, 
have emigrated to Wainad, leaving rice-fields uncul- 
tivated, or the crops standing unreaped, for want of 
hands. The Coorg landlord will not do the heavy 
work of planting and transplanting rice himself, ex- 
posure in the rainy season and toiling through thick 
moist mud being only endurable by one inured to 
hard labor. 

In truth, in the time of the Coorg Eajas the number 
of serfs attached to each holding was specifically men- 
tioned in the Sanads or grants issued by the State. 
These title-deeds were called Jamma Sanads, that is, 
birthright grants, from the Sanskrit 6 Janam,' a birth ; 
signifying a proprietary right inherent in the possessor, 
and inalienable from his family, so long as he complied 
with the conditions of his feudal tenure. The assess- 
ment is 10s. on 100 battis, 1 that is, about three acres, and 
is regarded as half the full assessment, the remission 
being made in consideration of feudal service, the 
conditions of which extend to military service in time 
of war, and police duties during peaceful times. A 
due proportion of grazing land, called Badike, and of 
forest, called Bane, is attached to each Warg, or farm, 
and is specified in the grant, on receiving which a fee 
of 2s. is paid, the farmer getting a handful of the soil 
of the holding in confirmation of his right. He has 
further to make a payment to the State of 1/. per 
100 battis on entering upon possession ; the amount 

1 A batti of irrigated or wet land is dependent on the quantity of 
grain which will suffice to sow it, so that the extent comprised is not a 
standard superficial area, and varies greatly, according to the quality of 
the soil. On an average, 100 battis equal three acres. 



250 



COOUG LAND 



being, however, payable in instalments, while the grant 
is unlimited in duration at the pleasure of the cul- 
tivator. 

Only a few classes are permitted to hold land on 
the above easy terms, all the remaining farmers hold- 
ing land on Sagu tenure (Kanarese, ' sagu,' to cultivate), 
at the full assessment of 11. per 100 battis. Such 
farmers form no portion of the militia of the country. 
Indeed, the services of the J amma ryots are now never 
required in a military capacity, while the obligation to 
carry arms, of course, does not extend beyond the 
limits of the Coorg province. 

For many years after the annexation of the country 
to the British dominions, the Coorgs remained in their 
pristine state of simplicity, only known to the few 
European officials whom duty or curiosity led to visit 
this interesting alpine tract. Their knowledge of the 
outer world was absolutely nihil, as no Coorg ever left 
his native land. Their leisure hours were devoted to 
athletic sports, including hunting bison and beasts of 
prey, and to the great periodical festivals which hailed 
the advent of the rice crop, or implored a blessing from 
the goddess Kaveri, in whose honor a special feast is 
held in October. 

Little is known of the faith anciently held by the 
Coorg mountaineers, but, as they bear a resemblance 
in many respects to the Nairs of Malabar, and as one 
of their greatest peculiarities is an aversion to leave 
their own country, it appears probable that they are 
aborigines of the soil. It is remarkable, however, that 
in many parts of the province we find traces of an 



ANCIENT REMAINS. 



251 



earlier race, the remains being similar to those dis- 
covered on the Mlgiri mountains, and in various other 
parts of Southern India. Unfortunately, Coorg history, 
as already observed, does not extend further back than 
250 years, so that it is impossible to assign any trust- 
worthy period as the time of the construction of themonu- 
ments so frequently met with. Near Fraserpett, nearly 
500 cairns were discovered within a limited space, and 
hundreds of others have been found elsewhere. Whether 
these erections were mortuary kistvaens, or dwelling- 
places, has not been decided satisfactorily, as neither 
bones nor ashes have been found, on the one hand, as 
an indication of their having been used as burial-places, 
nor, on the other, is there in them any trace of smoke 
on the roofs, pointing to their having been inhabited. 

The cairns consist of a small chamber, enclosed be- 
tween three or four stone slabs, with a large slab on 
the top, the rear stone being generally pierced by a 
round hole rather larger than a man's body. They 
vary much in size, being from six to ten feet long, and 
three to six feet wide, some of them being more than 
three feet deep. A few of the structures have double 
chambers, and many of them are surrounded by circles 
of stones, forming a kind of verandah, a few feet wide. 
In a few instances one sees large stones standing erect 
at the entrance of the edifice, but this is rare. 

These monuments do not face in any particular 
direction, and are seen scattered about the side of a 
hill in close proximity to one another, which gives 
them the appearance of a burial-ground. 

By the people they are called either 4 Pandu pore,' 



252 



COORG LAXD. 



that is, ' Pandava stones,' after the mystic heroes of 
the Mahabharat, or ' Pandara mane,' that is, 6 pygmy- 
houses,' both these phrases portending a dwelling-place. 
They are also sometimes called 'houses of the dead' in 
Kanarese, but it is evident that the Coorgs are wholly 
ignorant of their original use. 

In some of the structures urns have been discovered, 
which are not without artistic merit, some of them 
being tripods, while a good many specimens of glazed 
pottery have occasionally been found. In one instance 
a human jaw was found, together with pieces of bones. 
Husks of grain, principally paddy, bits of iron, and 
fragments of necklaces, made up the list of treasure 
trove, but it can hardly be asserted that anything of 
special interest has been brought to light, while the kind 
of pottery found, though not resembling that now in use, 
appears to be too carefully modelled to be the handi- 
work of pre- historic times. One cannot, however, avoid 
the conclusion that the cairns are of a date prior to the 
present era, as the Coorgs do not employ such a mode 
of sepulture, nor have they any tradition on the subject. 

There is very little of Hindu religious doctrine among 
the Coorgs, and they have a positive antipathy to Brah- 
mans. Their ancient worship seems to have been given 
to the God 4 Ayappa,' a sylvan deity, to whom some 
of the finest woods in the province were dedicated. 
These 'devara kadu,' or divine woods, are often re- 
garded by European planters with longing eyes, but 
are likely to remain for many a day untouched by the 
axe, as the Coorgs invariably demur to their occupation. 
It is said that the caste called Amma Kodagaru were 



SYLVAN WORSHIP. — AVERSION TO BRAHMANS. 253 

originally the national priests, but more than 100 
years ago they fell under the wrath of the deity, and 
lost their purity, and their priestly office in consequence, 
since which time Brahmans of the Siva faith have dis- 
charged all ceremonial functions for the Coorgs. Once 
in the year, the forests dedicated to Ayappa or Pan, 
are visited by the Coorgs (who, at other seasons, are 
afraid to enter them), when the Brahmans offer pro- 
pitiatory sacrifice. 

The few temples in the country are served by Brah- 
man priests, that is, the buildings at the sources of the 
Kaveri and Lakshmantirtha rivers, and those at Mer- 
kara, Virarajpett, and Fraserpett. From the earliest 
times the sacred spring at Tala Kaveri was regarded 
with veneration by all Hindus, and Brahmans officiated 
at the yearly festivals in honour of the goddess. So 
also at the fountain head of the Lakshmantirtha. It is, 
therefore, difficult to reconcile the aversion of the Coorgs 
to the sacerdotal caste with the fact that Brahmans 
must always have exercised their priestly functions in 
the country, and particularly when it is remembered 
that the Coorgs themselves occasionally avail themselves 
of their services. In all official posts, however, the 
ascendency of Brahmans is resented by the Coorgs, 
partly perhaps from a consciousness of their superior 
intellect ; and we accordingly rarely find one of the 
twice-born holding high employ in the province. 

In many parts of Coorg reside priests who profess 
Saiva tenets. These persons are called Jangamas, and 
their habitations Maths. They wear a reddish-yellow 
dress, and are held in much respect by the people o 



254 



COORG LAND. 



North Coorg, though few of them are learned men. 
Many of the maths however are prettily situated in 
parklike scenery, surrounded by clumps of stately 
trees, under the shade of which the hermits may be 
seen, seated with their disciples. There is apparently 
more superstition among the Lingayats who dwell hi 
the north of the province, adjoining Manjarabad, than 
among the real Coorgs. The former form marriage 
connections with their neighbours over the frontier, 
and have much in common with them, whereas the 
Coorg £ aristo ' keeps to his own domain, and never 
sets foot on foreign land. All his joys and all his 
sorrows are to be found on his native hillside, and 
although in these days of excitement some curious 
Coorgs could not resist the temptation of making a 
journey to Bangalore, and thence on by rail to Madras, 
the mass of the people remain contentedly on their own 
farms, marry and die like their forefathers, and care 
not to seek their fortunes among strangers. 

A miserable pittance in his own beloved country, 
coupled with the dignity of office, is a stronger induce- 
ment to a leading Coorg to serve the State than the 
most remunerative employment beyond the province. 
To the credit of the Coorg officials it may be said that, 
notwithstanding the meagre pay received by them from 
the Government, they discharge their duties worthily 
and without reproach. Their wretched stipends are, 
however, but a nominal addition to the income they 
derive from their lands, and the sweets of office consist, 
not in the emoluments, but solely in the status con- 
ferred on the holder. 



COORGS A STURDY RACE. THEIR DRESS. 



255 



The Coorgs are one of the few races in India who 
take a genuine pleasure in athletic sports. They are 
good at running and jumping, capital mountaineers, 
active sportsmen, and able to sustain severe and con- 
tinued exertion. It is asserted that, since so many of 
the finest forests of the country have fallen before the 
axe of the planter, the scarcity of game which used to 
form a portion of their repast, has had an injurious 
effect upon the frame and constitution of the Coorgs, 
who now eat much less meat than they did formerly ; 
but, if there be any truth in this statement, it does not 
appear that any immediate ill consequences have been 
produced, as they are at present an eminently hardy 
and sturdy race. Their stature is not ordinarily above 
the average, although some big men are found among 
them, but most of them have a gallant, erect bearing, 
and a demeanour which, though perfectly polite and 
respectful to superiors, is not without a proud con- 
sciousness of innate dignity. Many of them have 
handsome features, and, with the exception of the 
residents of South Coorg, they are much fairer than the 
people of Mysore or Canara. Their women are good 
housewives, and have considerable influence, but they 
are less remarkable for good looks than the men, as is 
often the case among mountaineers elsewhere. 

The Coorg dress is simple and becoming. It con- 
sists of a blue surtout reaching down halfway between 
the knee and the ankle, and midway on the arms, and 
is folded to the left. A handsome thick red sash con- 
fines the waist, and in this is stuck a short dagger, of 
which the hilt and a portion of the sheath are covered 
with silver, a silver chain being also attached to it. 



256 COORG LAND. 

On the head is a thick white turban, generally with 
some gold lace in it, of a fashion quite different from 
the head-dress of the Mysore people, whose turban is 
less raised. When passing through the woods,- the 
Coorg carries on his back a strong wood knife, double 
the size of his dagger, the handle being stuck in his 
girdle, while the broad blade lies naked on his back. 
Under the surtout is worn white clothing, and during the 
rains and cold season a rough blanket is in common use. 

The principal amusement of the Coorgs consists in 
national dances, which are far more picturesque than 
those of the Gaddis of the Kangra hills. The first of 
them, called the ' Balakata,' or Whisk-dance, is danced 
by a circle of fifty or a hundred persons, who, holding 
chauris or whisks in their hands, dance in slow mea- 
sure round and round, waving the whisks, and singing 
a chant in honour of the goddess Kaveri, while a group 
of musicians sit in the centre, accompanying the per- 
formers with their voices and a drum, called a Duri, 
which resembles an hour-glass, being pinched in in 
the middle. In another dance, called the 'Kolhata' 
or Strike-stick dance, each Coorg holds in either hand 
a stick, something like those used in the game of 6 la 
grace.' These he strikes alternately on those of his 
neighbour, as the ring revolves, all the dancers singing 
as they move. The effort is very pleasing, although 
the chanting is somewhat monotonous, and the songs 
not very interesting, even when intelhgible. The 
action of the performers is, however, remarkably grace- 
ful and dignified. 

Another curious amusement is called the 6 Kol 
Peria,' or stick and shield play. In this game, two 



C00RG GAMES. 



257 



men enter the arena, eacli armed with a long swish in 
the right hand, and a shield, or a handful of whisks, in 
the left. After defying one another, and jumping 
about in a strange manner, they slash at their adver- 
sary's ankles and legs with the swish in their right 
hand. Hard blows are dealt out, and if their fence is 
broken down, the performers' ankles tingle with the 
smarting pain produced, which is not unlike the effect 
of the Dominie's rod in an English school. If the 
men become excited, they slash at one another without 
mercy, and the bystanders are sometimes compelled to 
interfere ; but the Coorgs are such good-natured fellows 
that this is rarely necessary, and the performers always 
embrace each other at the end of the play. 

When this game is over, the lookers-on also take a 
share in the fun, dancing about vigorously with a kind 
of war-flourish, which culminates in the 6 Tengina Por,' 
or cocoa-nut fight, which consists in one strong indi- 
vidual taking a cocoa-nut, and trying to keep it against 
all comers, while there is a general scramble to snatch 
it from him, and carry it off. Whoever succeeds in 
keeping it, in defiance of the rest, breaks it on the 
ground, which brings the games to an end, but in the 
scuffle which takes place, some time elapses before this 
is accomplished. 

On the recurrence of the great yearly feasts, several 
hundred Coorgs assemble together to perform these 
dances and feats of strength, and no doubt such exer- 
cises have had a beneficial effect on the people, both 
physically and morally. Every commune has its 
band, so to speak, that is, a collection of drums, 

s 



258 



COORG LAND, 



horns, and pipes, the performers on which invariably 
turn out to meet high official authorities, preceding the 
little processions of the Coorg farmers, and accompany- 
ing great personages with music and chanting to the 
encampment ground prepared for them. When the 
traveller reaches the ' Kadang,' or ditch, which forms 
the boundary of the Nad, he finds, drawn up in a long 
row, all the headmen, who salute him, according to 
Coorg custom, by raising both hands to the forehead. 
They accompany him so long as he remains in their 
commune, and should he halt within it, they remain 
during the night in the farm-houses of the village in 
the precincts of which the halt is made, and proceed 
the next morning with the traveller to the boundary 
of the next nad. 

The language spoken by the Coorgs appears to have 
an admixture of Tamil and Malayalim words, but the 
base of it is Kanarese. The latter tongue is used in all 
official documents, but in their domestic relations the 
Coorgs employ the Kodagu, or indigenous dialect. 

The following sentences are taken from a small 
Coorg Grammar, published by Captain E. A. Cole, 
who, for some years, efficiently superintended the ad- 
ministration of Coorg. 



English 


Kodagu 


Kanarese j Tamil 


Telagu 


What is the name 
of this village ? 
Is the water good ? 
What is your pay ? 

I must go to bed. 

Are plantains to 
be had here ? 

Say if bearers and 
bullocks can be 
had at the next 
stage. 


i tixudapeda ennu? 

niru nallada ? 
ningu sambala 

echchaku ? 
nangu buddavaku 

pdndu 
illi bdlepannutit- 

tuwa? 
minyelatu moka- 

mulu b6yealadu 

ettadu kittuwa 

kiileya ennu 

ennu. 


i lirina hesaru enu? 

niru volledo ? 
ninage sambala 

eshtu ? 
nanu malaguvad- 
akke hdga bdku. 
illi bate hannugalu 

shikyavo ? 
mundina majalu- 
galalli bestara- 
gaii ettugalagali 
shikkuvadillavd 
enu M\u. 


inda urin pdr 

enna ? 
tannir nallada? 
unnodaya sham- 

ba]am enna ? 
nan padukka pdga 

vdnum. 
inge' vdlapalanga] 

agappaduma ? 
man majalgalil 

b6yigalavadu 

madugelavadu 

agappadumat- 
t>ad6 enna shollu. 


i uri p4ru emi ? 

nillu manchiva ? 

niyokka jitam 
emi ? 

nenu pandu kone- 
daniki pdvaUnu. 

ichhata aratipan- 
dlu dorakuna ? 

mundari majalul6 
bogilugani eddu- 
lugani chikkavd 
emi cheppu. 



KODAGU LANGUAGE. — XATIVE CHRISTIANS. 259 



From the above few phrases the general resemblance 
of the construction of Kodagu to that of the other so- 
called Dravidian languages of Southern India will be 
apparent. Its pronunciation is peculiar, the letter u 
being pronounced somewhat like the same letter in 
French. 

Missionary efforts have not been successful among 
the Goorgs, notwithstanding then simple and unsophis- 
ticated habits, but, till^ within the last few years, they 
have remained in a state of comparative ignorance. 
The whole of the native Christians in the district do 
not number much more than 1,000 souls, and these are 
almost exclusively Konkanis, or people from the coast, 
whose ancestors settled in Coom during the troublous 
times of Haidar Ah and his son Tippu Sultan, who 
carried fire and sword into the low country. The 
latter, especially, by his brutal attempts to circumcise 
the Christian population of the territory overrun by 
him, was the cause of an extensive emigration of these 
unfortunate people into the high lands above the Ghats. 

Scarcely ten years have elapsed since the enlighten- 
ment of the Co orgs was really commenced by the 
establishment, under the auspices of the Basel Mission, 1 
of a superior school at Merkara, the capital of the dis- 
trict. It was subsequently taken under government 
management, and, thanks to the intelligent and praise- 
worthy superintendence of the Principal, has made fair 
progress ; but the prejudices of the chief Coorgs are 
still strong, and it is, perhaps, too much to expect that 

1 One of these missionaries, the Key. Mr. Mogling, published some 
years ago an interesting little hook on Cuorg. 



260 



COORG LAND. 



they should abandon their old ways till the present 
generation of grey-beards has passed away, and a new 
one has sprung up, thoroughly permeated with the 
knowledge acquired by a superior education. A pro- 
posal to establish a boarding-school for Coorg boys 
and girls at first met with warm support from the 
people, and subscriptions flowed in freely, but the con- 
servative headmen took alarm at the possible tendency 
of the education of their children away from home, and 
the project has hitherto proved less successful than it 
deserved to be. At the same time it may be observed 
that a fair measure of success has been attained in 
forming schools in the various communes into which 
the district is divided. 

If the progress of enlightenment among the Coorgs 
has been slower than could be desired, their material 
progress has been remarkable. This is mainly owing 
to the extensive operations of the coffee-planters, who, 
some fifteen years ago, began to colonise the country, 
the splendid forests in which promised a rich reward to 
the enterprising settler. In truth, nothing can be finer 
than a Coorg hill side, covered with a luxuriant growth 
of stately trees, including the splendid spars of the 
kuve mara or poon, the lofty nandi and wild jack, the 
sweet-scented champaka, blackwood, ebony, and many 
others. 

Shorn as the province is of many of its woods, the 
forests now produce 10,000^. yearly, including realisa- 
tions from the sale of sandal-wood, which flourishes in 
the eastern divisions. All along the western slopes of 
the Ghat range, where the climate is too humid to admit 



CARDAMOMS . — SANDALWOOD . 



261 



of planting operations, and in the Devara Kadu, or 
sacred forests, trees are to be seen which, for height, 
size, luxuriant foliage, and brilliant tints, can scarcely 
be surpassed. 

On the crest of the Ghats flourish cardamoms, called 
in Kanarese 6 Yalakki,' of a superior kind. They grow 
in the thickest jungles, where there is ample shade and 
moisture, the forests being leased out for a term of 
years. The ordinary mode of obtaining the spice is to 
fell one of the giant trees which grow on the hill sides, 
when, after a time, the cardamom plant makes its 
appearance, but it may be cultivated apparently, with 
a fair measure of success, without resorting to this 
wasteful mode of securing its spontaneous growth. The 
picking of the spice entails much exposure to inclement 
weather, and is not unattended with risk, as snakes are 
extremely fond of cardamoms. A useful little manual 
on the subject of cultivating them has been published 
by Mr. E. Ludlow, of the Forest department. 

As in Mysore, sandal-wood was in Coorg a royal 
monopoly, and still remains so, the quality of the wood 
being scarcely inferior to that of the adjoining province. 
The tree is taken up with the roots, and costs, includ- 
ing carriage and labor, about fourteen shillings the 
kandi of 560 lbs., the average selling price being 8/. 12s., 
that is, 1L for 65 lbs. of wood, the Mysore rate being 
11. for 62 lbs. The price, however, varies every year 
according to the briskness of the demand at Bombay, 
where the wood is not only required for local purposes, 
such as funeral pyres : and other religious ceremonies, 
but whence it is* also shipped in large quantities to 



262 



COORG LAND, 



China. The material for most of the beautiful carvings 
in sandal-wood, sent from Bombay and China to Eng- 
land, comes from Coorg or Mysore,^ the latter province 
deriving a large revenue from this valuable article. 
In Coorg the amount received is between 4,000Z. and 
5,000/. on 528 kandis of wood. In Mysore the quan- 
tity sold in 1869-70 was 2,354 kandis, and the amount 
received 19,300/., or SI. 4.5. a kandi, the cost of collec- 
tion averaging, however, nearly 1L a kandi. 

Sandal-wood is found growing in the vicinity of, but 
not actually in, a forest country, and appears to be a 
very sensitive tree, requiring a particular climate to 
bring it to perfection. It is found sparsely in the 
eastern parts of Mysore, but flourishes best near the 
western hills, growing in hedgerows and singly, apart 
from other trees. Attempts have often been made to 
rear it from both plants and seed, but without success, 
owing, probably, to a want of knowledge of its appa- 
rently capricious nature. 

It is collected either by the forest officers themselves, 
or by contract, and is stored in depots, after being pre- 
pared, and sorted according to the fineness of the wood, 
which is narrowly scrutinised by the dealers who fre- 
quent the half-yearly sales. It is ranged in several 
classes, and every portion of the wood is disposed of, 
including logs, roots, chips, and powder. From the 
chips a strong oil is extracted, which, to the uninitiated, 
resembles atar of roses, while the powder is used for 
domestic and religious purposes. Most of the logs and 
roots find their way to Bombay. 

From the time when Europeans began to settle in 



COFFEE PLANTATIONS, 



263 



the district to plant coffee, the forests, with which the 
country was covered, began to acquire a new value. 
But, at first, any applicant received permission to com- 
mence operations in woods not claimed by private 
individuals, or regarded as sacred forests. Very little 
trouble was taken about securing proper grants, per- 
mission to cultivate coffee on payment of the govern- 
ment excise being deemed sufficient. As years went 
on, the number of planters increased greatly, large 
sums were laid out in clearing, planting, and esta- 
blishments, and the estates began to acquire a value 
in the market. As soon as the question arose of 
transferring properties from one person to another, 
the simple permission to cultivate appeared insufficient. 
In the next place, those who had expended large 
sums on their estates, and anticipated bumper crops, 
complained, with some reason, that the excise duty, 
though only sixpence on a maund of 28 lbs., pressed 
unduly on capital and industry. It is true that the 
excise was only 5 per cent, on the value of the crop, 
and that it was self-adjusting in regard to the yearly 
out-turn, but the best estates paid most and the worst 
least, The latter belonged chiefly to natives, who 
took little or no trouble about the cultivation of 
coffee, but retained many of the finest woods. A 
sliding-scale duty, like the excise, was in consonance 
with their ideas, and they desired no change. 

In compliance with the request of all the influential 
European planters of the province, an acreage was 
substituted for the excise, title-deeds being at the same 
time given to them, instead of the permission to culti- 



264 



COORG LAND. 



vate, which previously constituted their only grant. 
The terms prescribed seemed fair enough, the forests 
"being given free of assessment for four years, so as to 
admit of all the preliminary operations of clearing and 
planting being carried out before any demand was made 
on the part of Government. From the fifth to the 
ninth year, the rate fixed was two shillings an acre, and 
after the ninth year, four shillings an acre, a certain 
deduction being made for unculturable grass land. 

As the above change necessitated a measurement of 
each estate, in order to ascertain its area, a survey was 
commenced, and is still in progress, but the difficult 
nature of the country has interposed serious obstacles 
to its rapid advancement, and, in the case of unsurveyed 
estates, it has been necessary to adopt the rough esti- 
mate of area given in the cultivation permit, as the 
basis of intermediate assessment. 

Then a difficulty arose about the rights of the Coorgs 
holding on Jamma tenure to cultivate coffee in the 
woods attached to their farms, free of assessment. This 
was compromised by allowing them a certain number 
#f acres free, and assessing the rest, on the ground that 
they previously paid the excise. 

Further intricate questions started up about the acre- 
age on cardamom forests leased for a term of years, in 
which coffee had been grown instead of, or in addition 
to, cardamoms. 

When the knotty points which presented themselves 
had been disposed of more or less satisfactorily, the 
Hindu cycle began to draw to a close, and, verifying 
the predictions of the Brahman soothsayers, one year 



RAVAGES OF THE BORER BEETLE. DRY SEASONS. 265 

after another of drought came to mar the prospects of 
the planters. Large sums had been spent, heavy loans 
raised, and no expense spared to open the way to 
fortune, some planters having even undertaken the 
felling of bamboo jungle in order to realise a more 
speedy return for their outlay. 

The dry seasons brought with them that most de- 
structive of insects, the borer beetle, together with the 
grubs of moths, which committed great havoc among 
the coffee trees. It was supposed by many persons, 
and particularly by the Coorgs, that the planters had 
erred in felling all the jungle on their estates, and that 
this was the cause of the drought, the rainclouds float- 
ing away eastward without discharging their contents, 
owing to the absence of the trees which formerly ar- 
rested them. Others said that the Brahmans were 
quite right, and that the periodical drought at the close 
of a cycle was a well-ascertained fact, based on the 
experience of ages. 

Whatever the truth may be, it is certain that the 
continued dry seasons proved a heavy blow and a great 
discouragement to the planters, who had toiled for 
many years and expended all their resources, to be 
foiled just when the shower of gold appeared likely to 
descend upon them. The European colonist is, how- 
ever, a resolute and persevering individual, and if, as 
is most probable, a series of propitious seasons prevails, 
and coffee cultivation elsewhere does not prove too for- 
midable a rival, there is no reason why the long ex- 
pected fortunes should not be made. It would be a 
great misfortune should Coorg lose one of the main 



266 



COORG LAND. 



elements of its prosperity, 1 for not only is a consider- 
able portion of its revenue now derived from coffee, 
but its colonization by Europeans has imparted a new 
stimulus to the people of the country. 

Although causes of collision between the planters 
and the Coorgs do from time to time arise, it may be 
affirmed that, in the main, good feeling subsists between 
them. In one respect, it is to be feared that contact 
with Europeans has had a prejudicial effect upon these 
mountaineers, and that is that the love for strong liquors 
appears to have increased among them. It has been 
checked as far as possible by imposing the highest still- 
head duty that spirits will bear before they leave the 
distilleries, and a limit has been put upon the number 
of retail shops, but, notwithstanding, drinking has 
spread. Some excuse may, however, be made in favor 
of the Coorgs, founded on the humidity of the climate. 

The towns of the province offer little worthy of 
notice. The tombs of the Coorg Eajas at Merkara are 
handsome buildings, but are rather of a Musalman than 
a Hindu type. The palace in the first is a huge struc- 
ture, surrounded by a flagged basement, and is an ex- 
aggerated copy of a Coorg house, built to resist the 
monsoon storms, and, therefore, very substantial, but 
having no pretension to architectural beauty. The 
panorama presented to view from a place of public re- 
sort near the fort, called the Eaja's seat, is singularly 
fine, as it comprises a great portion of the splendid 
mountain range which encompasses Coorg. 

1 The coffee area is 80,000 acres, and the exports aggregate between 
3,000 and 4,000 tons yearly, which may be valued at £150,000. 



LOYALTY OF THE COORGS. 



267 



The palaces at Haleri and Naiknad are not deserving 
of the name, being in no way remarkable. 

Perhaps the greatest panegyric which can be pro- 
nounced upon the Coorgs is that, owing to their staunch 
and approved loyalty, they were exempted from the 
provisions of the Disarming Act, a recognition of their 
good service during the insurrection in Canara, which 
they always refer to with pride and pleasure. Their 
loyalty was, in a great measure, owing to the confidence 
which they felt in the European officer who, at the 
time, superintended the affairs of the province. Few 
parts of India, indeed, have been more fortunate in this 
respect than Coorg, which has had many superintendents 
who have gained the esteem and affection of the people, 



269 



THE PAN JAB 
BEFORE ANNEXATION. 

The soil of India has ever been fruitful of adven- 
turers, who have raised themselves to prominence, 
founding dynasties, which the folly or weakness of their 
successors annihilated in the course of a few genera- 
tions. 

Foremost among those who, in modern times, 
achieved such a success were Sivaji, the daring but 
unscrupulous head of the Mahratta race ; Haidar Ali, 
the ablest and most skilful native general whom British 
troops ever encountered in India ; and Eanjit Singh, 
the one-eyed warrior of the Panjab, who, while over- 
running and conquering many provinces north of the 
river Satlaj, sedulously maintained friendly relations 
with the English. 

All these chiefs were illiterate. It is doubtful 
whether Sivaji could sign his name. Haidar Ali used 
as his mark the letter 4 H ' in Persian reversed. Eanjit 
Singh, again, scrawled 6 Sahi ' or ' signed,' in Guru- 
mukhi characters, on grants of land, but, in his cor- 
respondence, contented himself with attaching a small 
seal, with his name on it, as his attestation to letters. 

The sovereignty founded by Sivaji was expanded by 



270 



THE PAN JAB BEFORE ANNEXATION. 



the Pandits Pradhan, commonly known as the Peshwas, 1 
who were at first merely ministers of the Satara Eajas, 
till the Mahratta hordes threatened to usurp the para- 
mount power in India. The attempts made by the 
Emperor Aurangzeb to check the progress of Sivaji 
were but partially successful, and, after his death, the 
Mahrattas rapidly extended t,heir conquests, founding 
the States of Nagpur and Tanjore, now lapsed, the 
still flourishing houses of Bar6da, Gwalior, Indore, 
Kolhapur, and Sawantwari, as well as a principality 
in Bundelkhand, where the Banda, Jhansi, and Jalaun 
families held large possessions, now incorporated with 
British territory. 

The Mahratta confederacy owed its ascendancy alike 
to the daring and prowess of its military chiefs, and to 
the astute policy of the Peshwas, who were seconded 
by able men like Balaji Janardan, commonly called 
Nana Farnavis, an uncompromising opponent of the 
English. To Sivaji, however, is due the honor of ■ 
raising from comparative obscurity the Mahratta race, 
and of founding an empire, of which the branches still 
extant contain a population of nearly six millions, with 
a revenue of more than two millions sterling. 

Sivaji died in 1680, and when, after a troubled in- 
terval, his grandson Sahuji mounted the throne as 
Kaja of Satara^ the Peshwa Balaji Biswanath laid the 
foundations of that supremacy of the ministers which 
made the Eajas who succeeded puppets and captives 



1 The word * Pdshwa ' corresponds closely with the English word 
Premier, signifying foremost or first. Pandit Pradhan means the chief 
Pandit or learned man. 



EXTINCTION OF DYNASTIES OF SIVAJI AND HAIDAB ALL 271 

in their hands. On the dethronement, in 1817, of the 
treacherous Peshwa Baji Eao, the rightful sovereign 
was restored, but, after a few uneventful successions, 
the dynasty became extinct in 1848. The last Baja, 
Shahji, adopted an heir, but this act was disallowed by 
the British Government, and the State lapsed, not with- 
out much protest and discussion. 

Haidar Ali's ancestors came from the Panjab, while 
his mother m was of Arab descent, to which circum- 
trances may perhaps be attributed the energy and 
bravery which eminently distinguished him. His long 
rule of twenty years was signalised by the subjugation 
of the whole of the present Kingdom of Mysore, and 
of considerable portions of provinces to the east, west, 
and south of that country, now comprised in the 
Madras Presidency. He was a resolute and skilful 
commander, a good soldier, and a wary tactician, who, 
though he fought bravely against the British Govern- 
ment and its troops, showed a frank wish for friend- 
ship, which the ruling policy at Madras of that period 
was incapable of appreciating at its proper value. 

The fatuity and obstinacy of his son, Tippu Sultan, 
shattered the fabric constructed by him, and the short- 
lived dynasty expired with the fall of Seringapatam, 
only thirty-eight years from the time when Haidar Ali 
first seized the reins of power. Short as was the rule 
of himself and his son, it was a brilliant one, and had 
it not been for the masterly operations of Lord Corn- 
wallis in 1791-92, and the subsequent war entered on 
by the directions of the ; glorious little man,' Lord 
Wellesley, the Mysore sovereigns would probably have 



272 THE PANJAB BEFOKE ANNEXATION. 



made themselves masters of all Southern India. The 
capture of Seringapatam, however, in 1799, and the 
death of Tippu Sultan, extinguished finally all the 
hopes of the followers of Islam that their faith would 
recover its former supremacy in Hindusthan. 

Kanjft Singh was possessed of most of the qualities 
which fit men to rule, and although he was never, like 
Sivaji, regarded by the Hindus as an incarnation of 
the deity, he succeeded during his lifetime in estab- 
lishing for himself an almost unbounded influence 
over the Sikh nation. The race of Jats to which he 
belonged, and which is found in many parts of Northern 
India, is brave and industrious, sturdy in fight, and 
skilled in agriculture. To this caste belong the ma- 
jority of Sikhs, and while part of a family serve as 
soldiers, the rest remain at home, tilling the ancestral 
lands. Indeed, some of the bravest of the Hindu 
races are careful cultivators, while those who leave 
their fields to be ploughed by the lower castes have 
rarely a reputation for bravery. Eanjit Singh rose to 
power at a time when the Moghal star was beginning 
to fade away, and when the Panjab, the highway of 
invaders of India, had, since the irruption of Ahmad 
Shah, become a prey to anarchy. 

In its origin, the faith taught by Guru JSTanak, the 
first of the Sikh saints, was an ascetical deism, shorn of 
many of the superstitions of Brahniinical belief ; but as 
his teaching and that of his successors attracted many 
followers, the sect caused alarm to the Musalman 
authorities, who attempted, with the usual result in 
such cases, to suppress it by persecution. The vitality 



SIKHS OPPRESSED. — MISALS. 



273 



which it thus gained, received a further stimulus by 
the murder of Tegh Bahadur, the ninth king, as the 
Sikhs style their teachers, and by the cruel massacre at 
Sirhind of two of the sons of Guru G6vind Singh, the 
tenth and last teacher, who, before he died in the 
Dekkan of a broken heart, inflamed the minds of his 
followers to a determined and prolonged resistance to 
the despotic Moghal rule. 

The thirst for vengeance thus evoked was gratified 
by the sack of Sirhind ; but the Sikh nation, though 
all its military qualities had been called into action, 
was split up into numerous bands, which rallied under 
the standards of certain celebrated leaders who had 
little in common. These confederacies, or Misals, as 
they were called, generally took their names from the 
homestead or the profession of their chiefs, as, for 
instance, the Bhangi, the Singhpuria, the Alhuwalia, 
&c, and among the least important was that called the 
Sukarchakia, to which belonged Charat Singh, grand- 
father of Eanjit Singh. 

In Cunningham's excellent history of the Sikhs will 
be found a full and accurate account of the rise and 
progress of Eanjit Singh, and of the history of his 
dynasty till the Satlaj campaign. During the course 
of the construction and consolidation of his rule, the 
strategy of Eanjit Singh and the bravery of his troops 
were often severely taxed. No less than three attacks 
were made, at different times, on Multan, whose nawab, 
MuzafFar Khan, offered a desperate resistance, being 
finally slain in the breach with five of his sons. On 
the first invasion of Kashmir, the Sikh army was be- 

T 



274 



THE PANJAB BEFORE ANNEXATION. 



trayed by the Chief of Eajauri, and decoyed into the 
snow, from which, as narrated by an old greybeard, 
Sirdar Gurrnukh Singh Lamba, nicknamed ' Piyalchi,' 
or 6 the Toper,' it had to fight its way back, sword in 
one hand and staff in the other. The second invasion 
was, however, more successful, and Eanjit Singh 
wreaked his vengeance on the Eajauri Eaja by carry- 
ing him off to Lahore in a cage. The Afghans for 
many years waged a constant warfare against the 
aggressions of the Sikhs, who, owing to the difficult 
nature of the country, and the martial qualities of the 
Trans-Indus races, were unable, except, perhaps, at 
Peshawar, to establish on the further side of the river a 
settled government, generally confining their efforts to 
a yearly extortion of tribute, or, at best, forming standing 
camps in the enemy's country. 

Although much resistance was encountered by Eanjit 
Singh in various parts of the Panjab from the hostile 
Musalman races, his rule was gladly welcomed by the 
Hindu population, and the want of union, and the 
mutual distrust among his opponents, gave him strength 
and confidence. Indeed, the name of Afghan or Pathan, 
and of Kashmiri, is considered in the north of India as 
synonymous with treachery and double-dealing, as is 
shown in the Persian distich : 

Agar khalal mardan uftad, az man na bagiri : yakam Pathan, duyam 
Kaniboh, seyam badzat Kashmiri. 

If mankind should be coming to an end, do not select (for its restora- 
tion) first the Pathan, secondly the Kamboh, thirdly the rascally 
Kashmiri. 

implying that the races named are bad stocks for re- 
producing the human family, Even now, the, various 



AFGHAN FEUDS. — THE FRONTIER PROBLEM. 275 

clans of the Afghans appear to be ever at variance with 
one another, tribe against tribe, family against family, 
and house against house, the demon of discord showing 
himself in bloody feuds and murders, while the strange 
spectacle is seen of stalwart borderers fighting despe- 
rately under the English colors against their own 
countrymen. All the Afghan race are brave indivi- 
dually, and a few tribes may be loyal, but loyalty to a 
foreign government is liable to be tarnished by acci- 
dents caused by avarice or religious impulses, and no 
man can foretell the future of the wild country of 
Afghanistan. 

When the Panjab was annexed, there can be little 
doubt that we succeeded to an awkward inheritance in 
the possession of the Trans-Indus frontier, and that its 
retention is both costly and hazardous ; but, on the 
other hand, its abandonment might be equally fraught 
with danger. Those who advocate its retention ob- 
serve that we must keep what was virtually an integral 
part of Eanjit Singh's territories, and that the value of 
the Peshawar and K6hat districts, which may be 
assumed at 80,000£. yearly, fully justifies this course 
on mere financial grounds ; while the adjacent tract 
of the Derajat, which also lies beyond the Indus, and 
which yields a revenue of 130,000^., must also be given 
up if the northern districts are surrendered. Further, 
it is alleged that the possession of the frontier up to the 
Khaibar, and the passes of the Sulaiman mountains, 
gives us a vantage ground which we should lose if we 
retired beyond the Indus ; and that we are now able to 
meet successfully the inroads of aggressors, to pursue 



276 



THE PANJAB BEFORE ANNEXATION. 



them into their hills, and to punish them not only on 
their own soil, but by cutting off their trading connec- 
tion with the people of our territory. It is said, again, 
that the disunion among the several Afghan tribes, and 
the facility with which we can subsidise those who 
seek our friendship, would enable us to cope success- 
fully with any force of invaders who might rally 
against us. Moreover, the constant hill warfare in 
which our frontier force has been engaged, has been 
invaluable in keeping the troops up to the highest 
point of discipline and daring. A mountain range is, 
it is asserted, a far better boundary than a river, as, in 
the one case, there is frequently antagonism between 
the tribes on either side of the hills ; while, in the case 
of a river, the people on both its banks are knit toge- 
ther by an identity of language and manners, and by 
family alliances which constitute the closest of social 
relations. Finally, great stress is laid on the damage 
to our prestige which a withdrawal behind the Indus 
would cause throughout Hindusthan. 

The opponents of these conclusions, on the other 
hand, call attention to the fact that the British Go- 
vernment must look beyond Afghanistan for its in- 
vaders, and that Eussia is the real power to be 
feared, as she might either pour in her own troops, 
through the Afghan country, to the borders of India, or 
indirectly incite the Afghans, by lavish rewards or the 
promise of territory, to combine against us. If the 
passes were once occupied, we should, it is said, have 
great difficulty in maintaining our position ; and if we 
fell back beyond the Indus, the most disastrous results 



THE FRONTIER PROBLEM. — KASHMIR. 



277 



might ensue, the river being, at certain seasons — which 
the enemy would certainly select for its operations — 
extremely difficult to cross, owing to its rapidity ; 
while this very difficulty would constitute the security 
of a Cis-Indus frontier. Again, the climate of the 
Peshawar valley is notoriously unhealthy, and greatly 
feared by our European troops ; while the native regi- 
ments raised in Hindusthan detest the country, not- 
withstanding the cheapness of grain in it. To the sad 
expenditure of valuable English lives, must be added 
the outlay on the many hill forts which hue the fron- 
tier. There is little connection, moreover, it is said, 
between the people of the Panjab proper and the 
Pathan tribes — the Musalmans of the former being 
either Awans, or of other races, who are at feud with 
the residents of the Trans-Indus country. In respect 
to the effect on our prestige, it is asserted that a volun- 
tary withdrawal in a time of peace, on the grounds 
partially stated above, would be a far less risk to run 
than a forced abandonment of our position in the face 
of a foe — a step which would inevitably create wide- 
spread alarm, and sow the seeds of serious disaffection 
throughout the whole continent of India. 

Such were a few of the arguments adduced on either 
side when the question was mooted in the time of the 
late Lord Canning, and they appeared to be so equally 
balanced that the subject was dropped after the mutiny, 
and the status quo accepted as a practicable, though not 
very satisfactory solution. 

Kashmir was the only portion of Eanjit Singh's do- 
minions which remained eventually under native rule. 



278 



THE PANJAB BEFORE ANNEXATION. 



It was sold to Eaja Gulab Singh on the termination 
of the Satlaj campaign of 1845-46 for 750,000/., 
or four years' assumed revenue, and the expediency 
of this transaction has since frequently been called 
in question by Indian journalists, the bargain being 
denounced as a needless sacrifice of a paradise which 
would have been a suitable tract for European coloni- 
zation. Irrespectively, however, of the circumstance 
that at the close of the war the subjugation of this out- 
lying province would have been an arduous task in the 
hot season, and with our army in a weakened state 
from its recent encounters with the Sikh soldiery, it may 
be doubted whether its possession would not have en- 
tailed great and unforeseen expenditure. 

The revenue of Jammu is about 275,000/., and of 
Kashmir about 250,000/., the former province being a 
separate possession, though both are under the rule of 
Maharaja Eanbir Singh, son of Gulab Singh, whose 
family were D6gra Eajputs of the Jammu territory. 
The land revenue of the thirty-six pergannahs, or sub- 
divisions which comprise Kashmir, is at present probably 
not more than 150,000/., and of the remaining 100,000/., 
about 40,000/. are yielded by the duty on shawls, 
other taxes, such as customs, duty on timber, taxes on 
shops, and a variety of small imposts, making up the 
balance. The land tax is heavy, half the gross produce 
being commonly taken from the cultivator ; and much of 
the valley is said to lie waste, notwithstanding its in- 
trinsic fertility, the people having deserted their lands, 
and fled over the border. But the valley of Kashmir is 
a very small strip of land, Surrounded on every side by 



EXPEDITION AGAINST CHILAS. 



279 



hills, which, to the north, are comparatively barren, 
yielding little revenue. 

As one approaches the northern confines of the 
province, the people are turbulent, and a constant 
source of anxiety. When the writer was in Kashmir, 
the people of Chilas had invaded Has6ra, and carried 
off the inhabitants into captivity. Gulab Singh, on 
learning intelligence of this inroad into his territory, 
organised with great energy an expedition, which, after 
extraordinary fatigue, and a loss, it is asserted, of several 
thousand coolies, attacked the stronghold of the lawless 
mountaineers. After several months' unsuccessful siege, 
the tank which afforded a supply of water to the garri- 
son was accidentally exploded, and the besieged were 
compelled to capitulate. No sooner were the Maha- 
raja's outposts admitted than they seized the gateway, 
and let in the whole army, when an indiscriminate 
slaughter of the Chilasis took place. The chiefs were 
made prisoners, and the fort was razed to the ground. 
Gulab Singh was very proud of this achievement, as it 
is said that Chilas had defied the Emperor Akbar. In 
extending his sway over Tibet, Gilgit, and the north, 
the old chief encountered much opposition, but the out- 
lay entailed was comparatively small, as the soldiers 
only received four shillings a month wages, being autho- 
rised to levy a 6 quete ' on the people in whose district 
they were quartered when they wanted fuel, fodder, 
and other necessaries. 

To the British Government such an unruly and 
troublesome frontier would be an endless cause of ex- 
penditure, which would greatly counterbalance the 



280 THE PANJAB BEFOKE ANNEXATION. 

possession of Kashmir. In any case, so long as the sove- 
reign remains faithful to our Government, and there is 
no valid ground for questioning the loyalty either of 
Gulab Singh or of the present Maharaja, we are bound 
by our own acts, and have no right to cast a longing 
eye on the famous valley. During the Panjab cam- 
paign of 1848-49, Gulab Singh's conduct was chal- 
lenged, mainly, probably, because he had formerly been 
on intimate terms with some of the leading rebels ; but 
beyond a desire to keep well with both sides, no impu- 
tation against his proceedings could be substantiated. 

That Englishmen should be popular with the Maha- 
raja cannot be expected. The yearly visitants pry into 
the details of the administration, and proclaim in all the 
papers of India the griefs and misery of the people, 
which is naturally very unpalatable to their ruler. 
Moreover, before the appointment of a Eesident at 
Srinagar, during the season when the valley is fre- 
quented by Europeans, the Maharaja had just cause for 
complaining of the conduct of some of his visitors. In 
one instance all the prisoners were let out of jail by an 
angry officer, whose servant had been confined on some 
trivial charge, while in another case one of the soldiers 
died, it was said, from the effects of a blow on the head 
administered to him by a second officer. It is well 
known that no Oriental sovereign likes his territory to 
be overrun by strangers, his rule to be criticised, and his 
proceedings animadverted on ; and we must bear in 
mind the reply given by one potentate to an English- 
man who asked him why he did not make a good road 
through his country up to his capital, ' What ! for your 



TULAB SINGH. — FEEBLE CHARACTER OF KASHMIRIS. 281 

Government to march its troops along with ease to take 
it?' answered he. 

Gulab Singh was rapacious and penurious, but, though 
illiterate, he had great natural capacity, and a wonder- 
fully retentive memory. He amassed large sums of 
money, the popular belief being that all his vast trea- 
sures were stored in the fort of Kiyasi, in the Jammu 
territory, and that the people who conveyed them 
thither disappeared, and were never heard of afterwards. 
The crime of shedding the blood of cattle was severely 
punished by him, as an orthodox Hindu ruler, and he 
is said, when Governor of Hazara, to have flayed Musal- 
mans alive for this offence. 

The Kashmiris are a cowardly, lying race, but of a 
happy temperament, and always civil and obliging ; 
while the women are certainly beautiful, and, when 
decked out for show at their festivals, present a striking 
appearance. Lahore, Amritsar, and other great cities 
of Northern India abound in Kashmiri women, not of 
the best repute, while the ranks of native officials num- 
ber hundreds of Brahmans, whose forefathers emigrated 
from the valley, and who, for ability and astuteness, are 
worthy rivals of the Mahrattas of Bombay, or the three- 
marked Brahmans of Southern India. The majority of 
the population are, however, Musalmans, and although 
their ancestors were forcibly converted in the time of 
the Delhi emperors, the present generation appears per- 
fectly content with its faith. It appears strange to those 
who have seen this charming country in its spring-tide 
of flowers, or in its glorious summer, when the snow on 
its hill tops is kissed away by the hot beams of the sun, 



282 THE PANJAB BEFORE ANNEXATION. 

to return again on the cold approach of night, or again 
in its rich autumnal profusion of various fruits, that the 
people should have tamely succumbed to successive in- 
vaders, but such seems to have been the fate of most of 
the hill races between Hazara and Nepal. The fiery 
Gurkhas of the latter territory overran like a swarm of 
ants the Kamaon and Simla districts, plundering and 
ejecting the Eajput chiefs, till their progress was arrested 
by the strong hand of the British Government. In fact 
the hill tribes were no match for the dwellers in the 
plains, and the Sikhs, in the time of Maharaja Sher 
Singh, resisted with success the combined efforts of the 
Afghan races on the frontier, though these were urged 
on by the strongest incentives of religious zeal and 
patriotic opposition to a hated foe. The success of the 
Khalsa army was no doubt in great measure due to that 
discipline which they had acquired under the skilful 
French generals whom Kanjit Singh had entertained in 
his services. 

The following schedule of the income of Kashmir 
from various sources, irrespectively of that derived from 
land, is curious : 

ChiUri Rupees. 



Tax on shawls . 7,17,200 

„ Pashmlna ...... 50,800 

„ worked borders 9,100 

„ shopkeepers ...... 1,53,200 

Customs 1,60,700 

Mint 50,700 

Duty on wool and Pashmma .... 10,200 

Tax on sugar manufacturers .... 9,400 

„ Timber 93,400 

Duty on saffron 22,000 

„ silk . 12,800 



Carried forward . . 12,89,500 



REVENUE OF KASHMIR. 283 

Chilki Rupees. 

Brought forward . 12,89,500 

Duty on charas 1 10,000 

tobacco 17,700 

Tax on sheep . . . . . . . 45,600 

„ buffaloes 11,000 

„ floating gardens 18,400 

„ Singhara nuts 40,000 

„ produce of islands ..... 11,700 

Income of Kotwall . . . . . . 7,600 

„ courts of j ustice and stamps . . 16,400 

„ other courts 4,500 

Tax on houses let on hire 8,500 

Income of Government gardens .... 2,200 

Duty on lime 2,500 

Tax on sellers of wild fowl .... 500 

Tribute from petty Rajas . . . ... 74,000 

Income of newly-acquired territory . . . 17,000 

„ temples and Vazirs' dues . . . 27,000 

Basant, Dashara, Naoroz festivals . . . 48,000 

Miscellaneous 15,000 



Total Chilki rupees . . . 16,67,100 
Equal to Company rupees . . 10,41,938 
Equal to £104,193 



The above return was made out several years ago, 
but is probably fairly accurate at the present time, and, 
excepting a few items, the taxation does not appear 
to be particularly oppressive. A fee was formerly, and 
is perhaps still, levied on marriages, from which, how- 
ever, the privileged classes were exempted. This is a 
legitimate source of revenue, which might with ad- 
vantage be raised in our own territory, as it is readily 
paid by the people, who are always lavish in their out- 
lay on such occasions. We have indeed so far adopted 
this form of taxation, that in some provinces of British 
India a registration fee is demanded for entering do- 
mestic occurrences. 



1 An intoxicating drug. 



284 



THE PAN JAB BEFORE ANNEXATION". 



If a more equitable system of collecting the land 
revenue is introduced, there is no apparent reason why 
Kashmir should not regain its pristine prosperity, and 
the increase of cultivation which would follow on low 
assessments with long leases would not only bring in a 
larger income, but admit of the abolition of some 
minor items of taxation which are objectionable. It is 
to be hoped that the present Maharaja and his succes- 
sors will, in regard to fiscal administration and judicial 
proceedings, endeavour to imitate the excellent example 
set by Hyderabad, Mysore, and Travancore among the 
native states of India. 

During the winter season, the Baramulla Pass is the 
only outlet from Kashmir which is open for traffic, and 
the moment one passes the gorge, which, tradition says, 
was cleft out of the mountain by the Muni Kasiapa to 
afford a passage to the long pent-up waters of the lake 
which filled the valley, the character of the scenery 
suddenly changes. The Jhilam is no longer a quiet 
sluggish stream, flowing lazily along through a level 
verdant country, but a fierce hill-torrent, pouring im- 
petuously down over a rocky bed, and bounding along 
a rugged mountain side, round which winds a narrow 
path for travehers. 

A march of a few days takes one to the borders of 
Hazara, where, thanks to the influence which his be- 
nevolent administration obtained for him, Major James 
Abbot was enabled to hold his own throughout the 
rising in the Panjab in 1848-49, when all the European 
officers located elsewhere were compelled to abandon 
their stations. This gallant and distinguished officer 



PERSONAL INFLUENCE OF ENGLISH OFFICIALS. 285 



protected the mountaineers from the oppression of the 
Sikh functionaries, and was so much beloved that the 
people used to point out the very place where he had 
sat down when he visited their several villages. 

The day seems to have passed away when the per- 
sonal influence of a single Englishman was a tower of 
strength to his government, and it may be that the 
progress of enlightenment and civilisation since the 
great mutiny of 1857 makes it no longer essential ; but 
if those great administrators Sir Thomas Munro and 
Sir John Malcolm could rise from their graves, and see 
how codes and regulations, with their attendant routine, 
have cramped and weakened the power for good of 
those placed in authority, they would probably smile 
with compassionate contempt. As it was said of the 
Muscovites, ' grattez le Eusse, et vous trouverez le 
Tatare,' so it is asserted by many that the superficial 
gloss which modern education has given to the Indian 
mind would at any moment be rubbed off under the 
pressure of religious fanaticism or political bias, and 
that the British Government would then find an enemy 
acquainted with its weak points, and just sufficiently 
educated to feel the bitterness of being subject to the 
sway of foreigners. Doubtless it is becoming every 
day more difficult for local officers to maintain their in- 
fluence, as the people progress in knowledge, while their 
comparative ignorance of the language and habits of 
those among whom they dwell places them at a disad- 
vantage with educated natives, equally conversant with 
the modes of thought and action of their own country- 
men and of Europeans. Under such circumstances 



288 



THE PAXJAB BEFORE A^EXATIOX. 



they must rely solely on their own integrity and honesty 
of purpose, and on those high principles which are in- 
culcated by the Christian faith. 

The Hazara district borders on classic ground, for on 
the opposite side of the river Indus towers up the Ma- 
haban mountain, believed to be the 4 Aornos ' of Arrian, 
which the troops of Alexander the Great surmounted 
with such labor and difficulty, and which in our own 
day was the haunt of fanatical Musalmans whom the 
Peshawar force pursued to their fastnesses at Sitana 
and severely punished. Thirteen centuries passed away 
from the epoch of the Macedonian conqueror till the 
invasion of Mahmiid of Ghazni, and more than two 
thousand have elapsed up to the present time, but the 
fidelity of the account of the Greek historian can still 
be established, notwithstanding the ages that have since 
run their course. 

Indeed, the exact locality of the combat with Porus 
may fairly be insisted on, owing to two natural features 
of the country which remain unchanged. The first is 
the existence of a promontory, ' akra,' round three sides 
of which, Arrian says, the river (Jhilam) winds. This 
is the case at Mangala, on which there is at present a fort, 
belonging to the Kashmir ruler, while there is no other 
place on the river, from the point where it emerges from 
the hills, which corresponds with Arrian's description. 1 
Again, the historian mentions the fact that a short dis- 

1 Some antiquarians suppose that Darapur, lower down the river, was 
the scene of the contest, but, although subsequent invaders of India 
frequently took the route through the so-called Ghorigalla Pass which 
leads to Darapur, the promontory at that place does not answer to 
Arrian's description. 



FIELD OF EATTLE WITH PORUS. 



287 



tance above the scene of battle there were islands in the 
river, on which grew trees. Such islands with trees 
on them are still to be seen at Sukhchainpur, a few 
miles above the town of Jhilam. and between it and 
Mangala. Of the towns said to have been founded by 
Alexander the Great on the Hydaspes or Jhilam, one, 
Boukepkala, was presumably built on a high mound 
close to the present town of Jhilam, and the other, 
Nikaia, on the opposite bank, the former having been 
designed to perpetuate the memory of the famous 
charger Bucephalus, and the other as a record of the 
victory gained over Porus. In the mound referred to 
many coins and ancient remains have been found, and 
it is possible that, were it completely excavated, some 
trace might be found of the burial-place of the con- 
queror's steed. 

Owing to our ignorance of the history of the Panjab 
between the expedition of the Greeks and the first in- 
vasions of the Musalmans, it is impossible to fill up the 
intervening gap with any precision, but it is not im- 
possible that Porus was a Eajput of the Powar or 
Pramara tribe, which belonged to the Eaghuvansi stock 
of the Solar race, and came originally from Ayodhia or 
Oudh, whence its members spread themselves over many 
parts of Hindusthan. Eajputs, both of the Solar and 
the Lunar dynasty, are found in great numbers to this 
day in the Simla and Kangra Hills, the small dynasties 
which they founded centuries ago being for the most 
part still extant. Foremost among these was, however, 
the extinct house 1 of the Katoch Eajas of Kangra, 

1 The present R>ija holds a small estate yielding about £3,500. 



288 



THE PAN JAB BEFORE ANNEXATION. 



whose ancestor Bhum Chand is said to have issued 
from the ground, of full stature, and completely armed, 
like Minerva from the brain of Jove. His race, for 
purity of descent, was considered the highest among 
the Kajputs of the Panjab, but the territory fell a prey 
to the Sikh invader, who looked with a covetous eye 
on the lovely Kangra valley, which, with its famous 
fort, was surrendered to the British Government after 
the campaign on the Satlaj in 1 845-46. 1 With the sole 
exception that it is wanting in lakes, the scenery of the 
Kangra valley is equal to that of Kashmir, the hills 
being covered with splendid forests of oak and ilex, 
while in the far distance towers up the stupendous 
Chamba range to a height of 15,000, a snowy wall 
which looks like an impassable barrier at the end of 
the world. Beyond it is, however, the picturesque 
Chamba territory, and, on the extreme border, the wild 
tracts of Lahaul and Spiti, at an elevation of from 7,000 
to 10,000 feet, where the climate is intensely cold and 
the population but scanty. There are several other 
Eajas in the beautiful Kangra district, with long pedi- 
grees and short purses, but the chiefs of Nadaun, Sukhet, 
and Mandi enjoy a fair income and receive salutes from 
the British Government. 

North of the river Chanab, the population of the 
plains of the Panjab is mostly Muhammadan, though 
of Hindu origin, a great share of the credit of its 
conversion being due to Aurangzeb, who is said to 
have forcibly circumcised the people of several hundred 

1 The fort of Kangre capitulated in the year 1008-9 to the celebrated 
Mahmud of Ghazni, when an immense treasure was found in it. 



MUSULMAN TRIBES. — SIKHS. 



289 



villages in a single day. Two of the principal of these 
tribes are the A wans, a stalwart race living between 
the rivers Jhilam and Indus, who, in former days, had 
constant border feuds with the adjoining Pathan vil- 
lages ; and the Tawanas, an influential and brave 
people, inhabiting the desert south of the Salt range, 
whose chief, Fatah Khan, gallantly held out in a fort at 
Bannu against the Sikhs during the rising of 1848-49, 
till he met his death from thirst. There is also a sin- 
gular tribe called Gakkars, who dwell in parts of the 
Kawalpindi and Jhilam districts, and who are said to 
be descended from the fire-worshippers of Persia. 1 

The Sikhs, though so long the dominant race in the 
Panjab, form but a small proportion of the population, 
deriving, however, their strength, partly from their in- 
herent martial instincts, and partly from their religious 
cohesion, which rests upon the fact that all castes, in- 
cluding Musalmans, are alike eligible as professors of 
the Khalsa faith. In the Panjab proper, that is, the 
country north of the river Satlaj, the principal home- 
stead of the Sikhs is in the Manjha, or the 'middle 
land,' between the Beas and the Kavi. Here they are 
found forming the entire population of villages, whereas 
elsewhere they are only to be met with partially. 
Generally they are Jats by caste, although many of the 
most influential Sikh leaders were Kshatriyas, such as 
the brave Sirdar Hari Singh Nalua, who was killed 
near Peshawar, fighting against the Afghans. The Sikh 

1 Muhammad Ghori was a?sassinated by the Gakkars in 1206, on his 
return from India to his capital. They are described as being at this 
period a barbarous race of mountaineers. 

U 



290 



THE PAX JAB BEFORE ANNEXATION. 



Gurus were also Kshatriyas, and the race of the Sodhis, 
who derive their descent from Guru Haragovind, is 
both numerous, and revered by all the Khalsa. 

The Jats are undeniably a sturdy race, and good 
agriculturists, both in the Panjab, and in the North- 
West Provinces, where some powerful chiefs belong to 
this stock. The Bharatpur (Bhurtpoor) Eaja is a Sin- 
sanwal Jat ; the Dholpur Eaja is also a Jat ; the one 
having a revenue of 210,000/. and the other of 60,000/. 
During the mutiny, a strong regiment of Jat Horse was 
raised by Major Murray, and performed excellent ser- 
vice. 

The Jats have been supposed by some persons to be 
identical with the Getae, and to have entered India at 
a later period than other Hindu races, but their social 
observances bear a close analogy to those of orthodox 
Hindus. They are divided into numerous g6tras or 
families, of which the principal are the Sansi, Gil, Virk, 
Sindhu, and Sidhu, &c. To the first belonged the 
royal family of Lahore, as also the Sindhanwalas, an 
influential house ; to the second the Majftias, of whom 
Lehna Singh was an accomplished scholar, and Eanjor 
Singh, the hero of Badiwal, a bad general. The Atari- 
walas, who headed the insurrection of 1848-49, were 
Sindhus, but as it is forbidden to Hindus to intermarry 
within a certain number of degrees of relationship, the 
principal Panjab families were closely connected with 
one another, to which cause may be in a great measure 
attributed the resistance which they made in common 
to the British Government. 

The state of the Panjab, when the lamented Sir 



PREVAILING DISORDER. — REMEDIES ENFORCED. 291 

Henry Lawrence assumed the post of Eesident at the 
court of Lahore, was such as to tax all his energies. 
The army, like the Janissaries, or the Prsetorian Guard 
of Eome, had virtually usurped all authority, and had 
constituted themselves the arbiters of peace or war ; 
and, though they had received a rough lesson in the 
Satlaj campaign, their numbers and discipline made 
them still formidable. The Darbar was corrupt, and 
while money was lavishly wasted for private ends, the 
State was insolvent, the payment of the troops being 
much in arrears ; while most necessaries of life were 
inordinately taxed. The land revenue was high, and 
collected arbitrarily, it being no uncommon thing to 
see the people of 300 or more villages resort to Lahore 
from a long distance to complain of the oppression of 
the local officials, waylaying the Eesident on his visits to 
the Darbar, and lighting torches at mid-day to show, 
by an apt illustration, the darkness of the land in 
which no justice was to be found. 

As the Darbar was not strong enough to contend 
alone with the prevailing disorder, the Eesident was, 
unwillingly, compelled to assume a greater share in 
the conduct of affairs than would otherwise have been 
justifiable, and this interference was afterwards put 
forward by Eaja Sher Singh Atari wala as one of the 
grievances which had led the Sikhs into revolt. The 
Eesident took steps for reducing all exorbitant expen- 
diture, disbanded superfluous troops, settled on an 
equitable basis the land revenue, giving the cultivators 
leases, abolished vexatious taxes on necessaries of life, 
put an end to slavery, gave permission to the Musalmans 

TJ 2 



292 



THE PAX JAB BEFORE ANNEXATION. 



to ciy the Azan, or call to prayers, which under Sikh 
rule was prohibited, and introduced a variety of other 
administrative improvements. In all these measures, 
most valuable assistance was given to Sir Henry Law- 
rence by his brother, Mr. John Lawrence, afterwards 
so eminently distinguished as Lieutenant-Governor of 
the Panjab, and Viceroy of India. 

It must be admitted that, however consonant with 
our ideas of justice and good policy all these measures 
may have been, a native State could not but regard 
some of them with jealousy, and others with positive 
disapprobation ; but it is very difficult for a Resident 
to watch abuses and not to attempt to reform them, 
while the minority of the young Maharaja Dalip Singh, 
and the weakness of the Darbar, appear to have jus- 
tified the course taken. Absolute non-interference 
would have precipitated matters in all probability, and 
have led to utter anarchy. 

A brilliant surface covered over and partly concealed 
what was unsatisfactory beneath. The Lahore Darbar 
was the finest in India in regard to its appanage and 
the gay and gallant appearance of the chiefs, who, on 
great festival days, when it was the custom for the 
pillars of the State to make their obeisance to their 
young sovereign, came arrayed in gorgeous red and 
yellow dresses, glittering with gold and jewels, richly 
embroidered cloaks, and the handsomest of swords at 
their sides. Some of the Sirdars of the highest rank 
were striking-looking men, while many of them had 
fought bravely against the English, and their frank 
and independent manner contrasted favorably with 



INTRIGUES OF QUEEN MOTHER, 



293 



the exaggerated politeness of Hindusthanis. Grey- 
bearded and martial-looking old Ghorcharhas (troopers) 
of Eanjit Singh's era ; fanatical Akalis, clad in blue, 
with turbans encircled by their favourite war weapon, 
the quoit or disc ; solemn priests, chanting out verses 
of the Granth, or Sikh Bible ; pundits and astrologers, 
and a motley assemblage of richly-clad officials and 
retainers made up a picturesque tout- ensemble , which 
gave a special prestige to the Panjab Court, when the 
Eesident, with his assistants, was present at the de- 
liberations of the Council of Eegency. 

The scene was, however, soon clouded over. Eaja 
Lai Singh, formerly prime minister, had been banished 
to Agra, in consequence of his intriguing to prevent 
the surrender of the Kangra fort to the British Govern- 
ment, and Earn Jhanda, the mother of the young 
Maharaja, with whom he was a great favourite, was 
enraged at his deportation. She was a woman of great 
spirit, vindictive and resolute, and ill-disposed to submit 
to the dictation of the Darbar, who prohibited her in- 
terference in state matters. Having once virtually 
ruled, through her brother Jawahir Singh, and, later, 
through Eaja Lai Singh, her forced seclusion became 
unbearable to her, and her crafty mind led her to sanc- 
tion a plot for the assassination of the Eesident and 
Eaja Tej Singh, the head of the Council, a feeble chief, 
but well affected and a friend to the English. The 
conspiracy was organised by Prem Chand, a Brahman 
of Jammu, the Eanrs native country, but was detected, 
Prem Chand being banished to Hindusthan, and the 
Eani removed to Shekhupura, a fort in the jungles 



294 



THE PANJAB BEFORE ANNEXATION. 



beyond the river Kavi. Her rage and indignation at 
this step exceeded all bounds, but her power for 
mischief was not yet at an end. 

Shortly afterwards, Sir H. Lawrence was compelled 
by ill-health to proceed to England, and, during his 
absence, circumstances occurred which led to a general 
rising of all the discontented spirits of the Panjab. 
The Governor of Multan, Diwan Mulraj, who had 
succeeded his father, Sawan Mall, in the administration 
of that province, expressed a wish to be relieved of his 
charge. At the subsequent trial of this individual at 
Lahore, it was not conclusively shown what was his 
real motive in wishing to resign his post, that is, 
whether he hoped to get his lease renewed on more 
favourable terms, or whether he was playing into the 
hands of the Bam, who, it was said, had previously 
sent to Multan one of her attendants, on pretence of 
making a pilgrimage, bearing a branch of the ak, or 
white-willow tree, as an inducement to Mulraj to 
revolt. His conduct, on the murder of Messrs. Vans, 
Agnew, and Anderson, showed vacillation and cowar- 
dice, and his subsequent proceedings were marked 
simply by the courage of despair ; but it does not 
appear that the assassination was really premeditated 
by him, nor is it easy to see what object he could 
have gained by defying both the Lahore Darbar and 
the British Government. At the same time, it is 
probable that the minds of the soldiery had been 
worked upon, and that they were adverse to the 
change of governors contemplated by the Darbar, 
who Jiad nominated Sirdar Kanh Singh to relieve 



MULRAj's REBELLION. GENERAL REVOLT. 295 



Mulraj, the English officials being deputed to aid 
him in his charge. These gentlemen committed the 
error of proceeding by river to Multan, while the 
troops marched by land, so that there was no cordial 
understanding between them, and no attempt was 
made by the latter to rescue the English officers when 
first wounded by Mulraj 's people. 

It is not the writer's design to dwell upon the siege 
of Multan, of which full details are given in the official 
records of the time, but it was thought by some persons 
that the Government erred in forcing upon the Lahore 
Council their responsibility for suppressing the first 
outbreak, and in not taking matters into its own 
hands. It was said that, had Sir H. Lawrence 
been at his post, he would have proceeded at once, 
accompanied by a flying corps and a few guns, to 
Multan, and have forced Mulraj to succumb. It is 
true that the assassination took place in April, when 
the sun is fiercely hot, and marching is often fatal to 
European troops, but the effect on an Oriental mind of 
prompt and resolute measures is beyond price, and 
during the celebrated mutiny of 1857 our troops were 
constantly in the field during the hottest months of the 
year. 

As time wore on, the rebellion gained head, and 
notwithstanding the actions fought against Mulraj by 
the gallant Major Edwardes, and the subsequent siege 
of Multan, the infection spread throughout the Sikh 
army, whose patriotism and religion were appealed to 
by disaffected persons on every plea which could excite 
their courage and their bigotry. In a very short time 



296 



THE PAN J A3 BEFORE ANNEXATION. 



the whole country was in a blaze, but six months 
elapsed before a British force, under the Commander- 
in-Chief, crossed the Eavi to contend with the Sikh 
rebels. In the early history of our career in India, 
and especially in the Madras territory, the Government 
was not so punctilious about fighting in fair weather, 
while during the mutiny, when its officers and troops 
Were contending for their very existence, the order was 
to strike, and to strike hard and quick, without thought 
of time and season. The arguments adduced for post- 
poning operations till the winter were plausible enough 
in a military point of view, but opposed to a sound 
policy,- for during the long period of inaction, the dis- 
affection became daily more formidable, and its sup- 
pression entailed the extinction of the Sikh dynasty, 
which might perhaps have been averted had our 
Government at once bestirred itself to prompt action. 
Many natives supposed that the Government, being 
determined to obtain possession of the Panjab, know- 
ingly let the rebellion spread till the chiefs should be 
irretrievably committed to revolt, while & few, who 
sided with us, expressed unfeigned surprise when the 
Government, at the end of hostilities, instead of seating 
the young Maharaja more firmly than ever on his 
throne, annexed his territories and obliterated his 
dynasty. 

Those \vho Were lookers-on when the English army 
crossed the Eavi, on leaving Lahore, to encounter the 
Sikh malcontents, predicted for it an easy victory, but, 
in the first engagement, a severe check was met with. 
A brilliant, but wholly useless, charge of the cavalry, at 



ACTIONS OF RAMNAGAB AND CHILIAN V, ALA. 297 



Bamnagar, on the Chanab, brought them within the 
range of the Sikh guns on the further bank, and not 
only was there considerable loss, but the effect on the 
spirit of the troops was most disheartening. The next 
move to Sadullahpur ought to have been a great 
success, as the Sikh troops were ill-prepared for resist- 
ance, and Eaja Sher Singh afterwards averred that, had 
a vigorous attack been then made, his army must have 
been completely discomfited ; but the opportunity was 
lost, and the Khalsa army retreated to the heights of 
Mung E a sul on the Jhilam, having the river on its rear. 
The next episode was the disastrous battle of Chilian- 
wala, called by the Sikhs Chelian Moza, from two 
villages of those names. Had it not been for the gal- 
lantry of the English regiments, and especially of H.M, 
61st, in the division commanded by Sir Colin Camp- 
bell (afterwards Lord Clyde), there is little doubt that 
we should have been worsted. The fight was corn- 
menced in complete ignorance of the position of the 
enemy, and the troops as they advanced in columns 
suddenly found themselves in front of the Sikh bat- 
teries, which had been concealed by the jungle. The 
result was deplorable, certain English infantry regi- 
ments losing heavily, while many native infantry corps 
became disorganised, and a panic seized a portion of 
the English and native cavalry. 

It may be remarked here that, in both the Satlaj 
and Panjab campaigns, the loss among the Europeans 
was in the proportion of three to one relatively to that 
of the native troops, taking into consideration their 
respective numbers. The Hindusthani Sepoy felt him- 



298 



THE PAX JAB BEFORE ANNEXATION . 



self no match for the redoubtable Sikh, even when led 
himself by English officers, and it is greatly to the 
national credit of the martial Panjabis that, with 
limited resources, and unaided by European com- 
manders, they should have competed on such equal 
terms with the flower of the British army in India. 
There is no other race in Hindusthan which could have 
accomplished this ; but the Sikhs were not only animated 
by religious fervor, but had profited by the superior 
discipline imparted to them by their French com- 
manders in the time of the old Maharaja. 

The engagement of Chilianwala may perhaps be 
correctly described as a drawn battle, as neither side 
could claim an undoubted victory. The English army, 
however, was conscious that it had sustained a reverse, 
its losses being heavy, and a feeling of want of confi- 
dence in their commander spread itself through men's 
minds. The effect upon the Sikh army, on the other 
hand, was great, and it was currently asserted after- 
wards that hundreds of their soldiery were drowned in 
attempting to escape across the Jhilam. A long inter- 
val of inaction ensued, till the Sikhs marched upon 
Gujarat, on the Chanab, a move which, if Sher Singh 
had made it earlier, with the object of raising Amritsar 
and the Manjha, would have greatly embarrassed the 
English Commander-in-Chief, who certainly could not 
have marched with the same celerity as the active and 
hardy Sikhs. Fortunately, however, the latter did not 
cross the river, which error, on their part, enabled the 
Multan force, which had, after many months of siege, 
succeeded in reducing Mulraj's stronghold, to join the 
main army under Sir Hugh Gough, 



BATTLE OF GUJARAT. — ANNEXATION OF PAN JAB. 299 



After the junction of the two forces, the battle of 
Gujarat was fought, and a brilliant victory obliterated 
all traces of the checks, the blunders, and the disasters 
which had before characterised the operations of our 
army. Gujarat was emphatically an artillery fight, for 
the Sikhs, with fewer guns, and those of inferior calibre, 
were wholly unable to contend with the powerful and 
numerous artillery brought against them, and after 
remaining some time in hell, as Eaja Sher Singh aptly 
described their situation, they retreated in the utmost 
confusion. The Afghan cavalry, which had joined the 
Sikh army, made one ineffectual charge, but, being 
gallantly met and repulsed, fled precipitately, and, it is 
said, never drew rein till they had put the Jhilam 
between themselves and the enemy. The main army 
of the Sikhs also beat a hasty retreat, but were so 
hotly pursued by a detachment under Sir Walter Gil- 
bert, that, seeing all resistance to be useless, they laid 
down their arms at Kawalpindi, and their chiefs sur- 
rendered themselves as prisoners. With the termina- 
tion of the campaign, ended also the dynasty of Eanjit 
Singh, ten years only after his death. 

The annexation of his territories ensued, and was in 
accordance with the policy of Lord Dalhousie, who was 
no advocate for the retention of powerful native States, 
and whatever may be thought of the absorption of 
Satara, Oudh, and other provinces, the grounds for in- 
corporating thePanjab with British India were strong. 
The annexation might have been avoided indeed by 
taking the .administration of the country into our own 
hands during the minority of Maharaja Dalip Singh, 



300 THE PAN JAB BEFORE ANNEXATION. 



but it must be admitted that the ample trial given to a 
native Eegency, acting under the inspiration of an 
English Eesident, had proved a failure, notwithstanding 
the eminent qualities which distinguished Sir Henry 
Lawrence, and the support given to him by a staff of 
assistants who, in point of ability, could not have been 
surpassed in India. 

In fact, a dual government is an entire anomaly in 
an Oriental State. To secure obedience and preserve 
order under native rule, a benevolent despotism, so to 
speak, appears to be the most efficient of administra- 
tions, absolute power being blended with a due per- 
ception of native requirements, and the supreme justice 
from which there is no appeal being tempered by 
mercy and that occasional relaxation of forms which 
native rulers prize, and which their subjects expect 
from them. 

Among the Sikh chiefs of the first rank there was 
not one who could safely have been intrusted with the 
responsibilities of a Eegent, while most of the leading 
men had been arrayed in arms against us, so that the 
affairs of the Panjab, failing its annexation, could only 
have' been conducted under the control of an English 
commissioner, a step which did not commend itself to 
the Governor-General. Eaja Tej Singh, the President 
of the Council, was feeble and timid ; Eaja Dinanathj 
the Finance Minister ^ was crafty and unscrupulous; 
Eaja Sher Singh Atariwala, who was tolerably straight^ 
forward and independent, though at first well-disposed, 
had been driven into rebellion by the perverse proceed^ 
irigs of his father, Chatar Singh ; Shamsher Singh 



ANNEXATION OF PAX JAB. 



301 



Sindhanwala, though a gallant and popular chief, was 
devoted to pleasure and fond of his ease ; and the 
other members of the Council were quite unfitted to 
rule. The more hardy and resolute Sirdars, such as 
Sirdar Surat Singh Majitia, who behaved so remarkably 
well afterwards at Benares during the mutiny of 1857 ; 
Kanh Singh Rosa ; and other tried soldiers and brave 
spirits, had been carried away by the flood of disaffec- 
tion. In short, there was no material left for insti- 
tuting a strong native government ; nor can it be said 
that the previous conduct of the Sikh Darbar, which, 
in its treachery and impotence, had suffered the Khalsa 
troops to invade British territory in 1845, had given 
the State any claim to generous consideration, such as 
would have been evinced by administering its affairs 
by British officers on behalf of the youthful sovereign 
during his minority. 

It may be observed, however, that the land revenue 
of the province, as it existed in 1848-49, was less than 
one million sterling ; that the extreme frontier was hard 
to hold and guard, and had in parts even to be con- 
quered ; and that the military and civil charges, on the 
introduction of British rule, far exceeded those of the 
native administration which it superseded. The Panjab 
has never been a profitable possession, owing to the 
comparative poverty of the country and the great 
outlay required for the maintenance of the large army 
concentrated it it. The following is an abstract, made 
ten years ago, showing Iioav limited were at that time 
the population and land revenue, as compared with the 



302 



THE TAN JAB BEFORE ANNEXATION . 



area, when contrasted with those of the North- West 
Provinces and Lower Bengal : — 





No. of 


Average 




districts 


Area 


Population 


Land Revenue 


Panjab 1 . 

N. W. Provinces 2 . 
Lower Bengal 3 . 


33 
26 
34 


3,043 
2,328 
3,639 


448,321 
974,436 
891,068 


5,65,200 = £ 56,520 
13,08,481 = £130,848 
9,85,817 = £ 98,581 



It will be seen from the foot-note 1 that the territory- 
annexed after the Satlaj campaign was far more 
valuable than the Panjab proper ; and here it may be 
remarked that, with the exception of Oudh, our more 
recent acquisitions in India generally have not tended 
much to fill the coffers of the State. 

A highly developed system of administration, with 
costly courts of judicature, and an expensive army, 
presses heavily on the finances of Eastern countries, 
which are mostly poor, and often ill-prepared for the 
introduction of a government on European principles. 
There is not cloth enough, to use a homely simile, to 
cut the coat from, and thus, territories which, under 
native rule, yielded a sufficient income to enable the 

1 Includes the Jalandar and Ambala divisions (except Simla), annexed 
after Satlaj campaign, and the Delhi and Hissar divisions which, pre- 
vious to the mutiny of 1857, were attached to the North- West Provinces. 
The following is an analysis of the statistics of these four divisions. 



Division 


No. of 

Districts 


Average 
Area 


Average 
Population 


Average 
Land Revenue 


Jalandar . 
Ambala . 
Delhi 

Hissar 


CO CO CO CO 


2,247 
1,748 
1,352 
2,848 


750,313 
587,123 
442,883 
286,007 


9,32,292 = £93,229 
8,82,154 = £88,215 
7,71,243 = £77,124 
4,13,129 = £41,312 



2 Includes Meerut, Rohiikhand, Agra, Allahabad, and Benares 
divisions. 



3 Includes Patna, Bhagalpur, Rajshaih Bard wan, Nadia, Dacca, and 
Chittagong divisions. 



HEAVY COST OF CIVIL ADMINISTRATION. 303 



sovereign to live in great state and splendor, do not, 
under our mode of government, pay their expenses. 
The time has not yet come when the British Govern- 
ment can with safety trust implicitly to the loyalty of 
the masses of India, and the necessity, therefore, of 
maintaining vast military establishments is apparent. 
The cost of these, added to the daily increasing require- 
ments of the civil administration, is more than the 
country can bear ; but the soundness of the policy of 
holding India by the strong hand is at present unde- 
niable. 

Great and sensible improvements have been effected, 
no doubt, in most of the local administrations, but 
many of these are costly, and it becomes a question 
whether the civil expenditure of a province should not, 
to some extent, be regulated by its income, and not by 
that of other provinces. It appears unreasonable to 
expect from a comparatively poor and thinly-populated 
country the same administrative measures and the 
same costly courts which are desirable, and indeed 
imperative, in wealthy and advanced territories. It is 
like a poor man keeping a carriage because his wealthy 
neighbour does so. Moreover, it is not much to our 
credit that a province should not be able to pay its 
own expenses, which, under native rule, accumulated 
stores of treasure, and was able to resist invasion from 
outside, without being a burden on other provinces. 
Most of the native States of India pay a subsidy for the 
protection afforded by the paramount power, but their 
contributions, being fixed by treaty, and having refer- 



304: THE PANJAB BEFORE ANNEXATION. 

ence solely to the defence of their own territories, can- 
not be enhanced, except in special cases. 

As regards the position of the people of the Panjab, 
there can be little doubt that the mass of the popula- 
tion, whether agricultural or commercial, is better off 
than it was previous to the annexation of the country ; 
but, on the other hand, many of the old families have 
lost their influence, partly from their own indebtedness 
and folly, and partly because all local power has been 
taken from them, while priestly influence is latently 
hostile, and the combative instincts of the Sikhs cannot 
be overlooked. During another generation of peace 
and tranquillity, it is to be hoped that most of these 
adverse elements will disappear, but it is unsafe to cal- 
culate with certainty upon what may be the disposi- 
tion of the people and the times twenty years hence. 

Of the English actors on the scene twenty years ago, 
most are still in the land of the living, but not so the 
great and good Sir Henry Lawrence, the chivalrous 
Edwardes, the fiery Nicholson, and the gallant Hodson. 
These have fought their fight, and rest in peace. Of 
the others, some are in retirement, well earned by long 
and faithful service, while many still uphold the 
honor of their country in distinguished posts in India. 



305 



THE SIKH INVASION 

OF 

THE CIS-SATLAJ COUNTRY. 



In the ancient region of Brahma vartta are found the 
first landmarks of Indian history, and, although actual 
facts have been clouded over by the lapse of ages, by 
myths, and by the license of the poet, enough still 
remains to make the country classic ground in the eyes 
of Hindus, and not wholly uninteresting to others. 
Brahmavartta may be broadly described as the tract 
between the Yamuna (Jumna) and the Ghagar rivers, 
having the town of Ambala on the north and Panipat 
on the south ; but, in its more limited sense, it com- 
prises merely the country between the Ghagar, or 
Gargarakha, 1 and the Saraswati, which latter sacred 
stream, after mingling its waters with the Ghagar, flows 
into the sandy wastes of Hariana and Bhatiana, and 
disappears, to rise again, according to Hindu fable, at 
Prayag or Allahabad, at the triple junction (called the 
Triveni) of itself, the Yamuna, and the Ganga. 

In all times, and among many nations, the principal 
rivers of a country have been endowed with a sacred 

1 Anciently called the Drishadwati. 
X 



306 THE SIKH INVASION OF THE CIS-SATLAJ COUNTRY. 

character ; and, in the case of the Nile, the Kaveri, 
and the Ganges, it is not surprising that the immense 
value of their fertilising influences should have invested 
them with the attributes of divinity. It is not a little 
remarkable, however, that a small and insignificant 
stream like the Saraswati should be regarded with 
reverence, yet this may be accounted for by the fact 
that, in its vicinity, were fought the famous battles im- 
mortalised in the Mahabharata. 

If, as has been surmised, the Hindu race came 
originally from some farther land, the 6 Paradesa,' or 
country beyond the borders of India, which, when 
quitted for ever, became holy in their eyes, like 
Asgaard to the Scandinavians, they would appear to 
have lost all traces of their exodus, for their history, 
prior to the tale of the Mahabharata, is a blank. Many 
ages must have passed from the period when the 
Hindus were a nomad pastoral tribe, as described in 
their sacred books, to that second stage when they 
became an agricultural community, and from that time 
again to the epoch when they are shown to have been 
skilled craftsmen and thriving traders ; but it seems 
probable that, at the time of their great epic poems, 
they were already far advanced in civilisation, having 
a settled form of government, a strong religious ele- 
ment, and an abstruse system of philosophy. Hindus 
themselves, not unnaturally, deny that their forefathers 
were foreign intruders, and, indeed, it is not easy to 
show from what particular centre they really did 
emigrate ; but the fact that, excepting the priestly 
caste, the higher races comprised in the system of caste 
are found in greater numbers in the north of India 



PREVALENCE OF HI GHEE CASTE?. 



307 



than in the centre or the south, leads one to infer that 
then ancestors did immigrate into the country from 
some region beyond it, although this by no means pre- 
supposes that India was at the time devoid of inhabitants. 

Kshatriyas, or Chatris, of many different stocks, and 
of the purest blood, are common in the Panjab proper, 1 
so that even the Hindus of Delhi eagerly seek the honor 
of alliances with them, while, as we proceed farther 
south, the sangre azul becomes thinner and more cor- 
rupted, till the inferior Rajputs, and the minor poten- 
tates of the south, have but little of the genuine 
Kshatriya blood in them veins. As a fighting class, 
however, the Kshatriya has almost ceased to exist, the 
people of this caste in the Panjab being now mostly 
either traders or religious teachers. 

The prevalence of Brahmans in every part of India, 
and even where the other three castes are rarely found, 
is an anomaly deserving of more minute research than 
it has hitherto received; but, in the majority of cases, 
it will probably be found that tradition points to their 

1 The Panjab Khatris are divided into the following classes : — 
1. Adhaighar, or Two- 2. Charghar, or 3. Chhahzati, or 

and-a-half Families. Four Families. Six Castes. 

Kahar Bara Chopra 

Malotra Dhone" Talwad 

Kapir Malotra Mendru 

Khar, a Kapur Kakar 

4, Athzati, or Eight Castes. 5, Baraghar, or Twelve Phone" 
Contains Eight Families, Families. Bara 

Contains Twelve 6. Bawanghar, or 
Families. Fifty-two Families. 

In this classincation a few of the "branches have apparently an un- 
settled status, seme of them claiming a higher position than is accorded 
to them by rival families. 

Among Brahmans the Moyals rank highest, and crntain the following 
"branches : — Datt, Bali, Yaid, Chibar, Mohan, Law, Bambal. 



308 THE SIKH INVASION OF THE CIS-SATLAJ COUNTRY. 

having been invited by ancient rulers, who had been 
attracted by their reputation for learning and sanctity, 
to exercise their priestly functions, on the promise of 
their receiving handsome benefactions of land or money. 
At the present time, the farther we travel south in 
India, the greater is the influence of the Brahmans, 
till it culminates in Travancore, where their status is 
such as to make them all powerful in the country, 
their aid being, it is asserted, solicited, not only in the 
discharge of their sacerdotal duties, but for the very 
continuation of the royal line. If they were among 
the aboriginal inhabitants, one might expect to find the 
other three castes which make up the Hindu system 
having the same relative population which those of the 
Panj&b bear to the Brahmans of that province, but such 
is not the case. 

Another argument in favor of the foreign origin of 
the Hindu race is that, on the one hand, there is a 
close analogy between Sanskrit and the ancient Zend 
of Persia, a tongue of which there is no evidence that 
its speakers came from India ; while, on the other, on 
removing the thick crust of the Sanskrit element which 
adheres to the common vernaculars of Northern India, 
the substratum bears an affinity to the languages of 
the South, — an affinity not very close indeed, and greatly 
warped by the action of centuries, but still pointing to 
an early connection between them. Such languages 
differ widely in construction from those of Aryan 
origin. 

Again, the primaeval worship of the Sun, which pre- 
vailed alike among the Vedic Hindus and the ancient 



HIGHER CASTES OF FOREIGN ORIGIN. 309 

Persians, appears to have nearly died out in India 
before the historic period, and, although traces of it 
are found, as in the famous temple of Martand in 
Kashmir, in the titles of Kajput races, and occasionally 
in the names of individuals, it may be inferred that the 
gradual extinction of this form of worship arose from 
the circumstance that its professors had moved far 
away from the place of its origin. It does not appear 
to have been at any time the general popular belief in 
the South of India, so far as can be judged from the 
existing tenets of those who are least under the influ- 
ence of Brahmanism, inasmuch as their worship is 
mainly rendered to snakes, to the sylvan god, or to 
material and inanimate earthly objects. On the whole, 
therefore, there appears to be good ground for believing 
that the Hindus, or, to speak more correctly, the four 
castes mentioned in their sacred books, did enter India 
from the North, carrying their religion and language with 
them, and imposing both gradually on the aborigines. 

It may be added that there are no architectural re- 
mains in Southern India which can be compared with 
those of the North in respect to their antiquity, all the 
beautiful temples and works of art in the former having 
been built within the last thousand years. In the 
North, also, we find the majority of the places which 
are sacred in the eyes of Hindus. 

The battle-ground of the heroes of the Mahabharata, 
the Pandavas and Kauravas, can still be traced with 
sufficient accuracy to give an air of reality to the story, 
and it would seem from this, that tradition, among a 
people who are mostly illiterate, is not without its 



310 THE SIKH INVASION OF THE CIS-SATLAJ COUNTRY. 



value. It is indeed not easy sometimes to draw the 
line between tradition and history, distorted and 
colored as the latter frequently is by the prejudices 
and imperfect information of the writers of it, while 
there is much worthy of note in the traditions handed 
down orally from generation to generation by profes- 
sional genealogists, such as the Hindu Bhats and 
Charans, who keep a careful record of domestic occur- 
rences in the families to which they are attached. 

The modern town of Thanesar is the northern limit 
of the tract called the forty k6s (sixty miles), to die 
within which insures salvation to orthodox Hindus, 
and renders unnecessary the removal of their ashes to 
the sacred Ganges. 1 The holy pool bears to this day 
the name of Kuru Kshetra, in commemoration of the 
family whose dynastic struggles took place in its neigh- 
bourhood, and the cicerones of Thanesar profess to point 
out the exact spots mentioned in the Mahabharata as 
occupied by the rival armies — that of Jayadratha, the 
Kaurava chieftain, having been drawn up to the east, 
and that of his opponents, the Pandavas, to the west. 
Oriental campaigns are not a summer's-day fight, but 
are carried on leisurely with varying success, sometimes 
for years, while the length of the epic appears to indi- 
cate a protracted struggle for supremacy between the 
contending forces, so that the events recorded in the 

1 Thanesar was anciently called Sthaneshwara, and also Bayusar, and 
is on the northern limit of the Forty Kos tract, the boundaries of which 
are, on the north, Ratnuyaksha ; on the south, Arantuyaksha or Tarkhu, 
where is the village of Sikha ; on the east, Bhachakru, where is the 
village of Annn ; and on the west, Ramradha. This region is called 
Samant Panjak in the Gada Parva of the Mahabharata. a 



MUSALMAN INVADERS. 



311 



Mahabharata must have been indelibly impressed on 
the popular mind. The legend, if such it be, of the 
Pandavas and their misfortunes, is well known through- 
out India, there being scarcely a district in which there 
is not some hill or other place of safety where the per- 
secuted princes are reputed to have taken refuge from 
the malice of their revengeful foes. 

A long blank follows this first glimpse of early 
Hindu history, the veil of obscurity being only partially 
raised in the Buddhistic period, when the king Asoka 
set up the columns of his law throughout his dominions, 
one of these having been erected close to the Jamuna 
where it issues from the hills. Of Alexander the 
Great and his victories, there is no trace, Brahmavartta 
lying south of the uttermost limit attained by any of 
his legions. 

It is to the invading hordes of the Musalmans that 
we are indebted for the next insight into the political 
and domestic relations of the Hindus in Brahmavartta, 
for, although inscriptions of some antiquity, that is, 
presumably, about fourteen centuries old, have been 
discovered at Pinjor, Pehowa on the Saraswati, and 
other places, these are too fragmentary to afford any 
connected view of the progress of events. But when 
once the path to conquest was discovered by the first 
followers of Islam who crossed the mysterious river 
Indus, the tide of invasion surged in, wave over wave, 
till it seemed as if all the hosts of Central Asia, incited 
by religious ardour and hopes of plunder, had poured 
into the devoted land, which fell an easy prey to the 
spoiler. 



312 THE SIKH INVASION OF THE CIS-SATLAJ COUNTRY. 

When Mahmud of Ghazni 1 carried Ms victorious 
arms into India, the whole of the north of the conti- 
nent was apparently ruled over by Eajput princes, of 
whom the chief exercised his sway from Hastinapura 
or Delhi, but a great part of the Cis-Satlaj country was 
held by the tribe of Kolis or Atras, a branch of the 
Eaghuvansi Eajputs, who are said to have come from 
Oudh. To these succeeded the Chohans, whose head 
was Eao Prith6ra, the King of Delhi. The other leading 
tribes were the Powars or Pramaras, also Eaghuvansis ; 
the Taonis who were Jadamvansis ; and the Chandels who 
belonged to the Lunar dynasty. The advent of these 
Eajput races dates from various periods, but tradition 
asserts that the earliest comers were the K6Hs, who 
were a powerful tribe. It may be inferred that the 
Eajputs were at one time warlike, and the first among 
the combatant races of India, but it is well known that 
they afterwards succumbed successively to the Musal- 
man invader, the hardy Mahratta, the lithe and active 
Gurkha, and the stalwart Sikh. In fact their reputa- 
tion for prowess has either been greatly exaggerated, 
or their martial qualities became gradually obscured by 
the indolence to which they are only too prone. 

The system of adoption which universally prevails 
among Eajputs has no doubt tended much to the pre- 
servation of their dynastic repute, and one sees among 
them pedigrees reaching back to remote ages, which, 
though there may be much fable in them, there is 
reason to suppose are substantially correct. Thus, the 

1 Mahmud plundered Thandsar in 1011 a.d. and destroyed the idols 
there. 



DECADENCE OF RAJPUT RACES. 



313 



Chohan Eaja of Mainpuri carries back his descent 
eighty-four generations, and the Eaja of Durnraon 
in Behar ninety-three generations, while the more 
famous houses of Udaipur, J odhpur and Eewah claim 
a still more voluminous pedigree. As adoptions must 
be made from among the descendants of a common 
ancestor, the purity of the blood is preserved, while 
in order to secure an accurate record of births, 
deaths, and marriages, the family genealogists make 
periodical tours, during the course of which they care- 
fully note all such domestic occurrences. It is not, 
therefore, beyond the bounds of probability that Eajput 
pedigrees should be fairly reliable, or at least as trust- 
worthy as those of most European families. 

The cause of the decadence of minor Eajput houses 
may perhaps be traced to the extreme jealousy of one 
another which ordinarily prevails among them, added 
to their absurd pride of birth, and their lazy habits. 
The large dowries demanded from the fathers of mar- 
riageable girls, on their forming connections with fami- 
lies of higher rank than themselves, have been a 
powerful incentive to the commission of the frightful 
crime of infanticide, which still prevails extensively in 
many Eajput races, and which diminishes their numbers. 
Again, the strict seclusion in which the women of the 
poorest Rajputs are kept, prevents their working in the 
field, like the wives of most Hindu cultivators, while 
the men are generally too proud to handle the plough 
themselves, and their means of subsistence are there- 
fore very limited, 

Owing to the want of cohesion among the Eajput 



314 THE SIKH INVASION OF THE CIS-SATLAJ COUNTRY. 



races, Muhammad Ghori obtained in 1192-93 an 
easy victory over them in a pitched battle in which 
they were signally defeated. Local tradition states 
that the Musalman conqueror pursued Bao Prithora 
from Bhatinda to a place called Chhat on the river 
Ghagar, where the Hindu prince was taken prisoner. 
The victor having been told that Bao Prithora was a 
noted archer, his bow and arrows were sent for, in 
order that he might display his skill. His bhat, or 
family bard, stood hard by, and as the prince was about 
to discharge the arrow, recited a couplet having a hid- 
den meaning, by which he instigated Bao Prithora to 
shoot Muhammad Gh6ri, and when the latter gave the 
signal, Bao Prithora directed the arrow at his head, 
shooting him dead on the spot. The Hindu prince was 
of course immediately slain by his conqueror's followers, 
and both were interred on the spot of the tragedy. It 
may be observed that this tradition is at variance with 
the commonly received story that Muhammad Ghori 
was assassinated in his tent by a band of Gakkars in 
another place, but the people of Chhat confidently 
point out his tomb, as well as that of Bao Prithora. 1 

As in most parts of India, legends and traditions are 
rife in the Cis-Satlaj territory, though they are not 
specially interesting. Here is one : — The town of 

1 There is some confusion in Ferishta's history regarding Muhammad 
Ghori, some of the achievements of Moyiz-ud-dm Muhammad Ghori 
being also attributed to Shahab-ud-dm Muhammad Ghori [confer Brigg's 
Ferishta, vol. i. pp. 157-159 and p. 171). The incident narrated refers 
to the latter, who was apparently an uncle of Moyiz-ud-dm, and may 
have accompanied him to India, though there is no allusion to this in 
Ferishta. 



LEGENDS. 



315 



Kharar, in the Ambala district, which in ancient times 
was called Ajainagar, was ruled over by Eaja Bainchak, 
a descendant of Eajd Aj, who was in the habit of play- 
ing at dice, on the condition that the loser should for- 
feit his head. As the king was always victorious, he 
formed a vast accumulation of heads, which he used 
to amuse himself by trailing along the ground, hence 
his capital acquired the name of Munde-Kharar, from 
c Munde,' a head, and ' Kharar,' the sound which a 
heavy object makes on being dragged over the ground. 
From this evil propensity he acquired the name of ' Sir- 
kap,' or decapitator. His queen was endowed with the 
wonderful power of drawing water from a well in a 
pot suspended by a single unwoven thread, but as she 
possessed no jewels, and was meanly attired, her hus- 
band, not perceiving that her magic virtue was owing to 
her simplicity and purity, sent to the Eaja of Lanka 
(Ceylon), to ask for some gold dresses for her attire. 
This prince, surprised at so unusual a demand, sent an 
ambassador to enquire who was the insolent chief who 
had made such a request. The ambassador, on reach- 
ing Kharar, found Eaja Bainchak poorly dressed, and 
looking like a mendicant rather than a king ; but when 
the ambassador was about to turn away with contempt, 
the Eaja asked him to draw a picture of Lanka, and 
when he had done so, pointed out a particular bastion 
in the fortress, which he transfixed with an arrow, 
saying to the ambassador, 4 Eeturn to Lanka, and you 
will find that this tower has fallen to the ground.' 
The ambassador, on reaching home safely, narrated the 
words of Bainchak, and found that the event predicted 



316 THE SIKH INVASION OF THE CIS-SATLAJ COUNTRY. 

had actually taken place, whereupon the Lanka prince, 
being greatly astonished at the miraculous power of the 
Kharar chief, sent him all that he had asked for ; but 
when the queen went again to the well, decked in gaudy 
robes, and covered with gold ornaments, her magic 
virtue left her, the unwoven string broke, and her pot 
fell into the well, never to be recovered again. 

With such tales, and narratives of the gallant exploits 
of former rulers, the people are wont to amuse them- 
selves in the evening, as they sit under the village ban- 
yan trees, or on the raised platform which forms a 
rendezvous for all the gossips of the place. Without 
the aid of fiction, however, they have ample food for 
discussion, in recalling the visitations of the savage 
Tamerlane, and the fierce Nadir Shah, whose victorious 
hosts ravaged the Cis-Satlaj country on their way to 
Delhi. 1 The first brought in his train many individuals 
who settled in the country, and became peaceful land- 
holders, their descendants being still numerous. The 
result of the invasion of Nadir Shah was to shatter the 
power of the great Moghals, of whom Timur the Tatar 
(Tamerlane) was the progenitor ; and the Delhi empe- 
rors never rallied from the shock which, in the person 
of Muhammad Shah, they received from the famous 
Afshar conqueror. 2 

1 Tamerlane, in 1398, after directing the massacre of the population of 
Bhatner, assembled his army at Khaithal, west of Thanesar, before 
marching on Delhi. 

2 Nadir Shah, in 1738, encountered the forces of the Great Moghal 
at Karnal, 30 miles north of P&niput, where, in 1526, the celebrated 
Babar overthrew the army of Ibrahim Lodf, the Afghan King of Delhi. 
At Panipat also was fought, in 1761, the memorable battle between 
Ahmad Shah Abdali and the Mahratta hosts. 



MUSALMAN BIGOTRY. — GOVINR SINGH'S VISION. 317 

So long as they exercised their sway with modera- 
tion and clemency, the successors of the great Akbar 
ruled Hindu sthan with fair success, and left many monu- 
ments of their magnificence ; but when Aurangzeb, the 
most intolerant of monarchs, imitated the example of 
the first Musalman conquerors, and ordained death as 
the punishment for non-conversion to his faith, a host of 
enemies rose up, and internal dissension paved the way 
for the destruction of the M6ghal's dynasty and the in- 
vasion of Nadir Shah. It was to Aurangzeb 's cruelty 
that the Mahrattas owed their subsequent 'ascendancy, 
and to the same cause that the Sikhs, from an obscure 
sect, became a powerful nation. 

Up to the time of Guru Arjuna, the fifth of the Sikh 
high-priests, the Khalsa sect was an ascetical and insig- 
nificant body of devotees ; but the unwise opposition to 
the extension of their tenets which the Muhammadan 
deputies offered, and the atrocious murder of their ninth 
Guru, Tegh Bahadur, led to their becoming a nation of 
warriors, full of fanaticism, and bent upon wreaking a 
bloody revenge on their oppressors. 

On a lofty hill called JSTaina Devi, on the bank of the 
Satlaj, there is a famous temple, sacred to the goddess 
Devi, who was much venerated by Guru Govind Singh, 
the tenth and last of the Sikh teachers : he who mainly 
imparted to his followers their martial training, and 
changed them from devotees into soldiers. It is related 
that one day, when he was offering sacrifice to the god- 
dess, she manifested herself to him, and demanded one 
of his sons as an offering. The Guru, at first frightened, 
soon plucked up courage, ancf refused to sacrifice his 



318 THE SIKH INVASION OF THE CIS-SATLAJ COUNTRY. 

son, whereupon the angry goddess told him that he 
should lose all four of his sons, a prediction which was 
soon after verified by the death of two of them in 
battle at Chamkor, and the assassination of the other two 
by the Subadar of Sirhind. It appears that Govind 
Singh was engaged in constant struggles with the Baj- 
put chiefs of the Nahan and Bilaspur hills, and that 
these applied to Delhi for assistance. The royal troops 
attacked Govind Singh, who long held out at Nandpur 
Makhowal, but, finding himself hemmed in by superior 
forces, sent away his mother and his two younger sons, 
Fateh Singh and Zorawar Singh, who were, however, be- 
trayed by a man named Duni Chand, and brought to Sir- 
hind, the head-quarters of the Musalman governor Yazir 
Khan. There was a Hindu at Sirhind named Sachanand, 
who had contemplated an alliance between his daughter 
and one of the sons of the Guru, who had, however, 
declined the connection. This individual had, in conse- 
quence, imbibed a deadly hatred against Govind Singh, 
and when the boys were brought before the Subadar, 
said that they were of a brood of serpents, and counselled 
their death. The Nawdb of Maler Kotla, Sher Muham- 
mad Khan, vainly interceded for them, alleging that it 
was a sin to murder children only five and seven years 
old, but the counsel of the Hindu prevailed, and, after a 
fruitless attempt to convert them to Islam, they were 
taken to a tower by one Basu Beg, and stabbed with a 
dagger. Their grandmother was either killed, also, or 
died of grief. 

Govind Singh succeeded in escaping from Nandpur 
to Chamk6r, where he was again attacked by the 



RELICS OF GOVIND SINGH. — HIS STRUGGLES. 319 



Muhammadan troops, and in the engagement which 
ensued, his elder sons, Ajit Singh and Jujar Singh, were 
slain. A handsome temple was built in commemora- 
tion of their death by one of the Singhpurian chiefs. 
At Nandpur Makhowal, where Govind Singh principally 
resided, visitors are shown his sanctum, where is pre- 
served a massive double-handed sword, which he 
wrested in single combat from an Afghan, whose name 
is engraved on the weapon. In the same building there 
is also a copy of the Adi Granth, or collection of the 
sacred writings of the first priests, composed by Guru 
Arjuna, which was presented to the temple by the widow 
of Banda Bairagi, the faithful follower of Govind Singh, 
who, after his teacher's death, carried on a prolonged 
resistance to the Musalman rulers of the country. Hard 
by is the tomb of Tegh Bahadur, who was killed at 
Delhi by the merciless Aurangzeb, his head having been 
brought to Nandpur by his disciples. His murder was, 
in truth, the cause of the rise of the Sikh nation, for 
had not his son Govind Singh been inspired with a 
fixed determination to avenge his death, it is probable 
that the Khalsa would have been exterminated as a sect ; 
but the gallant resistance made by his son, whose talents 
and energy invested him in the eyes of his adherents 
with the attributes of a saint and a hero, gave that con- 
sistence and discipline to the natural courage of these 
enthusiasts, which enabled them eventually to overthrow 
the oppressive rule of their persecutors. 

Govind Singh, after his disastrous defeat at Chamkor, 
proceeded to Machiwara and then to Mukatsar, where 
he had another engagement with the royal troops, but, 



320 THE SIKH INVASION OF THE CIS-SATLAJ COUXTKT. 



being again worsted, fled to Bikaner, and, passing 
through the sandy desert, finally made his way to the 
Dekkan, whence he never returned. With him termi- 
nated the succession of the Sikh priests, but the warlike 
qualities which he implanted in the breasts of his fol- 
lowers continued to flourish, and after the invasion of 
Nadir Shah had rudely shaken the throne of the 
Moghal, the Khalsa collected their forces, and, crossing 
the Satlaj in large bodies under daring leaders, ravaged 
the whole country between that river and the Jamuna. 
The attempts previously made by Banda Bairagi to 
raise the standard of revolt were only partially suc- 
cessful, the Musalman power being still strong, and 
the issue was that he was captured, sent to Delhi, and 
there slain. 

Among those Sikhs of the Cis-Satlaj territory who 
listened to G6vind Singh's teaching, and were among 
his firmest adherents, were Phul and his sons, Jats of 
the Sidhu Barar caste. The family is now known as 
the Phulkian Misal, and is the most famous house 
between the Satlaj and the Jamuna, owing its influence 
and its position partly to its large possessions, and 
partly to the respect in which it is held by all Sikhs as 
being descended from the faithful followers of the great 
Guru. The misal comprises the Patiala, Nabha, and 
Jhind houses, besides minor branches, as shown in the 
family tree opposite : — 

The Patiala chief, though of the junior branch, was 
the first to assume the title of Eaja, and owing to the 
energy and prowess of Eaja Ala Singh, the princes of 
this family extended their sway over a large portion of 



LOYAL CONDUCT OF PHULKIAN CHIEFS. 321 

the Cis-Satlaj country, the Maharaja being recognised 
as the head of the misal. 

The revenues of this State are probably not less than 
300,000/. yearly; and those of Nabha and Jhind 
40,000/. and 50,000/. respectively. 

The Kajas of the Phulkian Misal have generally been 
well affected towards the British Government, both 
Patiala and Jhind having been uniformly staunch, alike 
during the critical period of the Cis-Satlaj campaign, and 
the momentous time when Delhi was besieged in 1857. 

The Patiala chief, Sahib Singh, during the war with 
Nepal, rendered active aid in the Simla hills, where 
part of his possessions lay. His son Karam Singh, 
when the English supremacy trembled in the ba- 
lance, did not hesitate to throw the weight of his 
influence into the scale, against his co-religionists. The 
late Maharaja Narendra Singh, a man of noble pre- 
sence, surpassed even his father by his gallant and 
unswerving co-operation during the mutiny. All his 
resources were placed at the disposal of the British 
Government, and it was mainly owing to his aid that 
the communication between the Panjab and Delhi was 
kept open. 

The loyalty of these chieftains is of the highest im- 
portance, not only as representing the attitude of the 
Sikhs towards the British Government, but also because 
their territories are peopled by a warlike race, who 
would readily follow their direction and guidance. It 
is not too much to say that 50,000 fighting men could, 
without difficulty, be raised in the Cis-Satlaj country, 
where the Khalsa are commonly known as Malwei 

Y 



322 THE SIKH INVASION OF THE CIS-SATLAJ COUNTRY. 

Sikhs, and their adhesion would have a great effect on 
whatever side of the scale their influence might be 
thrown. It is unlikely that any circumstances should 
arise w T hich would alienate the fidelity of the great 
Sikh Kajas, especially since the extension to their fami- 
lies of the privilege of adoption ; but, as the mass of 
the Khalsa are easily swayed by an appeal to their 
religious fanaticism, it is obviously desirable that these 
chiefs should feel that their own interests are closely 
connected with those of the paramount power. 

When the Muhammadan power was beginning to 
wax faint, and the throne of the great Moghal was 
tottering to its base, the Sikhs saw that their hour for 
revenge was come, and, assembling their hosts under 
the banners of their most daring leaders, crossed the 
Satlaj en masse, and marched upon Sirhind. This 
town was anciently included in the province of Samana, 
which, in common with Thanesar, Pehowa, Bhatinda, 
Kharar, and a few other places, has a reputation for 
antiquity, but, owing to its central position, and to its 
being on the high road between Delhi and Lahore, 
Sirhind acquired great importance during the time of 
the M6ghals, and was the head-quarters of a governor. 

The Sikh invasion took place in 1820 Sambat (1764 
a.d.), and was headed by three chiefs of note, namely, 
Jassa Singh Alhuwalia, ancestor of the Kapurthalla 

1 The following are considered to be among the most ancient towns in 
the country : — Thanesar ; Pehowa, formerly called Prithudak ; Kharrar, 
or Ajainagar, under which the Satlaj is said once to have flowed ; Pinjor, 
called Adwitanagar, in the Vana Parya of the Mahabharata ; Samana, or 
Rinchin Khera ; Bhavane, Bhatinda, Bhatner, Bannur, Indre, Kon and 
Rupar. Many other names might be added. 



THE SIKHS DESTROY SIRHIND. 



323 



Eaja, Kapur Singh Singhpuria, and Jassa Singh Bam- 
garhia, who were all of different castes, but took their 
surnames from their respective villages. The other 
Sirdars, or chiefs, were of inferior rank, but ranged 
themselves under the following standards : — 

Dalewalia Misal comprising the chiefs who seized Thanesar, Rupar 

Sialba, Ladwa, &c. 
Krorian Misal comprising the Bassi, Bilaspur, Le"da, and Sadhaura 

families. 

Bhangi Misal comprising the Buria, Jagadhri, and Dialgarh 
Sirdars. 

Nishanewalia Misal including the Ambala, Shahabad, and Ladhran 
Sirdars. 

Besides these, there were the Shamsingian, Katgarhia 
and Ghania misals, and many other chiefs fought for 
their own right hand, all being alike incited by fanati- 
cism and hopes of pillage. Eventually, Baghel Singh, 
of the Dalewalia Misal, appears to have become the 
most famous of the Sikh leaders, as he led the con- 
quering forces of the Khalsa to Delhi, where he erected 
a tomb in memory of Guru Tegh Bahadur. 

But little resistance seems to have been offered by 
Zain Khan, the Musalman governor of Sirhind, who 
was at once slain by the enraged Sikhs, the town being 
sacked and destroyed. It is at the present day a dreary 
scene. For miles round one sees dilapidated mosques, 
grimed with smoke, with shattered domes, and their 
courtyards in ruins. Multitudes of bricks, and debris 
)f buildings, lie strewn about in all directions, the 
whole area having a scathed and desolate look, show- 
ing how great must have been in former days the 
prestige of the place, and how fell the vengeance taken 
by the Sikhs on their oppressors. Musalmans were 

T 2 



324 THE SIKH INVASION OF THE CIS-SATLAJ COUNTRY. 

ruthlessly put to the sword, those nobles who did not 
escape to the territories of the hill Eajputs being slain 
and their estates seized, the only exception being the 
Nawab of Malerk6tla, who, as it has been stated, in- 
terceded for the sons of Guru Govind Singh, which 
compassionate act induced the Sikhs to leave his 
possessions intact. 

After the capture and destruction of Sirhind, the 
Sikhs spread themselves over the country between the 
Satlaj and the Jamuna, the several bands seizing what 
territory they could, and dividing it among themselves, 
the chiefs of the Phulkian misal being however left in 
undisturbed occupation. Indeed, in the general con- 
fusion which ensued, they helped themselves largely, 
and still retain what they then won. The Panjab 
chiefs do not appear to have observed any particular 
order in appropriating and dividing their spoil, and 
thus it happens that the descendants of members of 
the same Misal are found in different portions of the 
country. The land revenue of the country now com- 
prised in the four districts of Ambala, TMnesar, Lu- 
diana, and Firozpur may be estimated at 430,000/., 
and is exclusive of the income of the Eajas of the 
Phulkian Misal and one or two other great chiefs, 
estimated at 370,000/. yearly ; so that, when we first 
came in contact with the Cis-Satlaj Sikhs, they held a 
territory yielding 800,000/. yearly, with an area of 
more than 18,000 square miles, and a population pos- 
sibly of 4,000,000. 

It was a happy hour for this country when Sir C. 
Metcalfe, in 1806, succeeded in arresting the victorious 



ran jit singh's designs. 



325 



progress of Eanjit Singh, Maharaja of the Panjab, who 
meditated annexing it to his dominions. The crafty 
chief had no compunction in seizing any province that 
promised to be a valuable possession, and as the 
majority of the Cis-Satlaj chiefs still held their patri- 
monial estates in the Panjab, he was not slow to assert 
his pretensions as their suzerain. 

An amusing story is told of the avidity with which 
he grasped any opportunity of enriching himself at the 
expense of his feudatories. Among the leading Sirdars 
of the Cis-Satlaj country was Sobha Singh Kalsia, 
whose grandfather, Gurbaksh Singh, accompanied the 
Krorian Misalin a.d. 1764. It is said that this chief, 
when a young man, was trimming his hair one day, 
when he perceived in his beard some grey hairs, which 
he endeavoured to restore to their pristine color by 
rubbing ashes over them. Eanjit Singh, hearing this, 
abused the Sirdar, saying that he had acted in a manner 
unbecoming a Sikh, it being unlawful for the Khalsa 
to dye their beards. The Sirdar took fright, and 
crossed the Satlaj the same night, whereupon Eanjit 
Singh immediately confiscated his territory in the 
Panjab. Sobha Singh never afterwards recrossed the 
river, and till the day of his death carefully hid his 
dishonored beard in a white cloth. 

It may be observed here that on the death of any 
wealthy subject, Eanjit Singh is said, not unfrequently, 
to have declared himself to be the eldest son, confiscat- 
ing the possessions of the deceased without any scruple, 
and reserving for the heirs only a small allowance. 

Disputes between the several lords of the Cis-Satlaj 



326 THE SIKH INVASION OF THE CIS-SATLAJ COUNTRY. 

territory were common enough, and on various occa- 
sions Eanjit Singh's aid was invoked by one side or the 
other, so that, coupling this with the circumstance that 
most of the chiefs owned villages in his dominions, a 
tempting opportunity was offered to him of settling 
finally all dissensions by seizing the spoil himself. 

When the British Government took the Cis-Satlaj 
Sirdars under its protection in 1809, it wisely allowed 
to Eanjit Singh full scope for the extension of his rule 
throughout the country north of the river Satlaj, and 
he was not slow to avail himself of this tacit permis- 
sion, though, no doubt, he reluctantly abandoned his 
cherished designs on the rich territory between the 
Panjab and the Jamuna. The provinces of Multan, 
Kashmir, Peshawar, and the trans-Indus Derajat all 
fell a prey to his victorious arms, while the discipline 
imparted to his troops by the French officers in his 
service, Court, Allard, "Ventura, Avitabile, and others, 
enabled him to maintain and consolidate his authority. 
The first three of these officers bore a high reputation 
as soldiers, and were worthy representatives of their 
nation. Avitabile was uneducated, and not an ex- 
perienced soldier. He was merciless in character, and 
used to pay largesse or grant estates in reward for the 
heads of the hill men ; but it must be admitted that he 
successfully kept at bay the power of the Afghans, and 
made himself the terror of the country side at Pesha- 
war, The large fortune amassed by him became the 
subject of law suits between his heirs, in Naples, of 
which kingdom he was a native. 

It was owing to the circumstance that the small 



ATTITUDE OF CHIEFS US' SATLAJ CAMPAIGN. 327 

escort of Sepoys attached to the service of Sir C. Met- 
calfe in 1806, successfully resisted the attacks on his 
camp made by a desperate band of fanatical Akalis, 
that Eanjit Singh, to whom the matter was reported, 
formed so high an opinion of the value of European 
discipline, that he was induced to intrust the drilling 
of his troops to the French officers named above, and 
others of less note. The like had been done before 
by the Mahrattas with marked results, the success 
which their arms attained having been mainly owing 
to the excellent discipline taught to their soldiers by 
De Boigne, Perron, Baptiste, and others. 

While, thanks to the exertions of Sir C. Wade and 
Sir G. Clerk, friendly relations were maintained between 
our Government and Eanjit Singh up to his death, the 
Gis-Satlaj country remained in a state of tranquillity, 
till the Sikh soldiery violated British territory in 1845, 
During the campaign which ensued, the greater part 
of the chiefs adhered to their allegiance, but the Eaja 
of Ladwa, who was connected by marriage with the 
royal house of Lahore, the Bhai of Khaithal, the Eiipar 
Sirdar, and some others, forfeited their estates, owing to 
their having joined the cause of the Sikhs, while the 
Kapurthalla Eaja lost that part of his possessions which 
lay south of the Satlaj. 

The great family, comprising the Phulkian Misal, 
with the exception of the Nabha Eaja, preserved an 
unshaken fidelity, which was highly creditable, as, after 
the battle of Firozshah, matters wore a gloomy aspect 
for the British power, which had rarely before received 
so severe a shock, It is not too much to say that, in 



328 THE SIKE INVASION OF THE CIS-SATLAJ COUNTRY. 

the exhausted state of our army after this fierce strug- 
gle, the tumbrils of the guus being almost empty of 
shot, Eaja Tej Singh might have obtained an easy 
victory, had he advanced with the fresh troops which 
he brought into the field. Fortunately, either acting 
from motives of cowardice, or from a suspicion that the 
English force before him was only a portion of our 
army, he, without apparent cause, withdrew his men, 
and the brilhant battle of Aliwal, with the subsequent 
entire discomfiture of the Sikh soldiery at Sabraon, 
placed the Panjab at our mercy, and happily termi- 
nated a campaign, the issue of which was at one time 
extremely doubtful. In this, as in the Panjab war, the 
Hindusthani sepoys proved no match for the hardy and 
resolute Sikhs, even though the latter were no longer 
under the command of French officers, and the brunt 
of all the engagements fell on the English troops. 

Many lapses, owing to default of heirs, had occurred 
in the Cis-Satlaj country since 1806, and the position 
of the Government as the paramount Power gradually 
became far different from what it was at the commence- 
ment. Originally, the whole of the protected chiefs 
exercised sovereign powers within their own estates, an 
arrangement productive of great disadvantages and 
constant disputes. Many of the conquered tracts had 
been, in course of time, subdivided among cosharers, 
all of whom claimed equal jurisdiction, while there was 
no system for checking the caprice of individuals, the 
general control of the Political Agent being only par- 
tially efficacious in staving off gross oppression. Again, 
quarrels were rife as to the possession of particular 



RELATIONS BETWEEN SIRDARS AND THEIR TENANTRY. 329 

villages, two or more chiefs striving each to assert his 
own jurisdiction in them, in order to secure payment to 
himself of their rental. The Government, therefore, 
after the Satlaj campaign, determined to maintain the 
sovereign powers of only the following nine houses, 
namely, Patiala, Jhind, Nabha, Kalsia, Faridkot, 
Eaikot, Dialgarh, Malerkotla, and Mamdot, the remain- 
ing thirty-four houses being disfranchised. The pos- 
sessions of two of the greater families, namely, Eaikot 
and Dialgarh, have since lapsed to Government. 

The deprivation of their former powers to which the 
minor Sirdars had been subjected, although unavoidable, 
was productive to them of serious consequences* The 
greater number of these chiefs had been in the habit 
of collecting their rents, either in kind, by a division 
of the crops, or by an arbitrary valuation, at the highest 
selling rates, of their proprietary share, the cultivators 
being virtually at their mercy. But, shortly after they 
lost their sovereign authority, disputes arose between 
them and their tenants, which necessitated the inter- 
ference of the government officials. Collections in kind 
were obviously profitable to the landowners, as not 
only did they secure half the grain thrashed, but they 
also exacted a share of the fodder of their villages, 
besides various compulsory payments of stock, such as 
sheep, fowls, and the like, without recompense. 

The cultivators, being freed from their old bondage, 
demurred to paying the exorbitant demands of the 
chiefs, and eventually it became necessary to make a 
revenue settlement of their holdings, which being based 
on the average collections of several years, w 7 ith an 



330 THE SIKH INVASION OF THE CIS-SATLAJ COUNTRY. 

abatement for bad seasons, fluctuations in the prices of 
grain, and the abolition of all unreasonable extra levies 
of the nature of heriot, naturally had the effect of con- 
siderably reducing the income of the Sirdars, who re- 
monstrated stoutly, but unavailingly. 

Ten years afterwards, when the siege of Delhi was 
in progress, these petty chiefs aided actively in protect- 
ing the convoys on their way to join the army, while 
the mass of the cultivators stood aloof and inert, which 
gave the Sirdars an opportunity of comparing the value 
of the assistance rendered by them in times of trouble 
with that of the Zemindars, to whose interests they 
supposed themselves to have been sacrificed. Bentham's 
maxim, plurimorwh maxima felicitas, or 'the greatest 
happiness of the greatest number,' was, however, 
honorably carried out by the Government, and while 
few of the chiefs were capable of exercising worthily 
the powers wielded by them, much oppression and 
numerous serious disputes had been caused by the pre- 
vious state of matters. Of late years, a few of the 
leading Sirdars have been intrusted with revenue and 
judicial authority, and it is to be hoped that, as they 
advance in enlightenment and education, a farther and 
more extended trial may be made of the only system 
which can restore to them their self-respect, and win 
for them a ready allegiance from their tenants. 

When the territory was partitioned on the invasion 
in 1764, to each chief was allotted, by mutual arrange- 
ment among the leaders of the Misal, a tract sufficient 
for the maintenance of himself and of a certain number 
of horsemen, rated at about 21. a month per head. 



STRINGENT RULES REGARDING SUCCESSION. 331 

According to the conditions of the subsequent tenure 
under the British Government, each Sirdar was bound 
to produce, whenever required, his quota of troopers 
for service in the field, the number being fixed on the 
above calculation according to the rental of his 
estate. In course of time, this obligation became in- 
operative, as, on the one hand, the Government never 
demanded the service, and, on the other, the Sirdars 
perceiving this, ceased to maintain the required number 
of fighting men. It was therefore determined to com- 
mute the service to a money payment, which was fair 
in principle, though, perhaps, more advantageous to the 
State than to the chiefs. The descent of the shares of 
petty holders was also limited to male heirs in the direct 
hue, all others being excluded. Some of the more 
stringent conditions have been relaxed in the case of 
those Sirdars who rendered notable service during the 
siege of Delhi, but it is questionable whether the Go- 
vernment should bar from succession any descendant of 
the common ancestor, or refuse any adoption lawfully 
made to obviate lapses. 

Although the Sikhs are, on the whole, a prolific race • 
as compared with more effeminate Oriental nations, 
the effect of a strict rule regarding direct succession, 
when applied to sub-divisions of holdings, tends to 
diminish the income and lower the position of the pro- 
prietors. It is true that the perpetuation of minute 
holdings is disadvantageous ; but if lapsed shares went 
to the head of the family, instead of reverting to the 
paramount Power, the measure would be popular, and 
the number of petty tenures would be diminished. 



332 THE SIKH INVASION OF THE CIS-SATLAJ COUNTRY. 

Under the existing system, as each share that lapses is 
swept in by Government, almost all the minor Cis- 
Satlaj Sirdars are falling into insignificance, and de- 
scending to the position of ordinary cultivators. 

The deprivation of their sovereign powers was also 
made the subject of complaint by the chiefs of the 
Lahore Council of Eegency, who, on the annexation of 
the Panjab, received a guarantee that they should con- 
tinue to exercise in their estates the privileges enjoyed 
by them at the time. The apparent injustice of the 
treatment to which they were subjected was after- 
wards, however, remedied by granting to them the full 
powers of a magistrate and collector within the limits 
of their holdings. 

The succession to landed property is not always 
of the same nature in the Cis-Satlaj country ; for, 
although the shares are generally divided equally 
among male heirs, the head of the family, in the case 
of the great fiefs, succeeds to the title and the estate, 
provision being made for the younger sons, while, in a 
few instances, division is made, per stirpes, according 
to the system called ' chude bant,' by which the collec- 
tive issue of each wife of a deceased chief share alike. 
For instance, if there is one son by the first wife, two 
sons by the second, and three by the third wife, the 
one son receives a third, the two sons a sixth each, and 
the three sons a ninth each of the whole estate. This 
arrangement is not, however, common, and probably 
arises from partiality towards particular wives, either 
from their predominant influence or their higher rank, 
while, in some cases, the superiority of the sons may 
be the predisposing cause. 



LANDOWNERS INDIFFERENT TO GOVERNMENT SERVICE. 333 

The effect of an equal division of landed property in 
a country where primogeniture is rare, and where caste 
prejudices offer a potent impediment to the cadets of a 
family finding a new sphere of employment, is inevi- 
tably to impoverish those small proprietors who do not 
actually cultivate their own lands. The numerous 
modes of life and the variety of occupations which hold 
out an inducement to such persons in Europe to better 
their condition, are unknown, or nearly so, in India; 
and the consequence is, that the service of Government 
is rarely sought by the landed gentry ; nor can this be 
remedied till the diffusion of a sounder education ex- 
tinguishes existing prejudices. Moreover, landed pro- 
prietors in the East are, as a rule, descendants of men 
who won their estates by the sword, and care little 
about intellectual superiority, so that almost all Go- 
vernment posts are held by those of the educated 
classes, who, from generation to generation, have made 
such employment their profession. 

It must be admitted that the higher castes are natu- 
rally more gifted, and that the attempts frequently 
made to create a new class of public servants out of 
the sons of landowners, or from the members of the 
lower castes, have generally ended in failure. Hence 
we have before us a difficult problem in respect to the 
spread of education among the masses of the people ; 
and until the natives of India can emancipate them- 
selves from the trammels of caste and social prejudices 
which now prevent them from quitting the pursuits of 
their forefathers, it appears idle to give them an edu- 
cation which only makes them conscious of their 
thraldom. 



334 THE SIKH INVASION OF THE CIS-SATLAJ COUNTRY. 

For every Government post which falls vacant there 
are numerous competitors, of whom the vast majority 
must needs fail, and, failing, are unable to devise any 
other mode of subsistence for themselves. Such per- 
sons are discontented, and, having just enough superfi- 
cial knowledge to enable them to lead others astray, 
may become, as their numbers increase, active agents 
of disaffection. To some extent, the general diffusion 
of knowledge is undoubtedly beneficial, as tending to 
give the people an acquaintance with their rights, and 
to curb the self-will and caprice of idle or oppressive 
officials ; but it must be confessed that it becomes daily 
more difficult for English employes to preserve their 
ascendancy, while the time has not arrived when the 
Government can rely implicitly on the good- will and 
unfaltering allegiance of its native subjects. 

Science and the fine arts are almost unknown among 
the people, except in translations from English books, 
such translations having rarely any originality in them ; 
while there is in Indian literature a great want of that 
vigorous thought which characterises English works, 
though it seems to have flourished in times gone by 
among the ancient Hindus. Of the writings of any 
other nation than the English, the best educated Indians 
are almost wholly ignorant, while they are generally 
indifferent to geography, history, ethnology, natural 
history, and the various other branches of knowledge 
which comprise a liberal education. This is the more 
surprising, as their natural powers are great, while 
their readiness of apprehension is remarkable ; but all 
education among them seems at present to cease when 



IMPORTANCE OF SIKH ALLEGIANCE. 



335 



its foundations have been barely laid ; and the moment 
that Government employment can be obtained by a 
candidate, he bids farewell to his books, and cares little 
about anything but his official duties and his hopes of 
advancement, even though he may have attached to his 
name the magic letters B.A. 

It is impossible to say whether the Cis-Satlaj Sikhs 
are likely to retain their distinctive usages now that 
their prestige has been so sensibly diminished ; or 
whether they will relapse into the Hinduism whence 
they sprang. But, whatever their religious tenets may 
be in future, they will always be a sturdy and fine race 
of men, whose allegiance is a matter of no little impor- 
tance when war breaks out, either in India or beyond 
its confines. 



337 



A VISIT TO THE TAIPINGS 
IN 1854. 

The writer, being in China in 1854, had an oppor- 
tunity of visiting Nanking, then in possession of the 
rebel Taipings. On May 25 the mail arrived from 
England, bringing news that war had been declared 
against Eussia, whereupon the Admiral immediately 
sailed from Hong Kong in the ' Winchester,' in pursuit 
of the Russian Admiral, Putiatm, who, with his fleet, 
was supposed to be in the neighbourhood of Japan. 
The writer was offered a passage as far as the mouth of 
the Yang-tsze-Kiang, where he left the flag-ship, and 
proceeded in the 6 Styx ' to Shanghai, which he reached 
on June 8. 

The rebellion in China had for some time been 
spreading, and, in addition to the powerful party of 
Tai-ping-wang, many bands of marauders, chiefly from 
the Canton and Fokien provinces, were actively engaged 
in plundering the country. One of these gangs had, in 
September 1853, suddenly seized on the town of Shang- 
hai, and, at the time of the writer's, arrival, was still in 
possession, though besieged by the imperialists, each party 
firing at the other, without doing much damage. In 
consequence of this state of siege, all the houses in the 



338 



A VISIT TO THE TAIPINGS IN 1854. 



suburbs had been destroyed by the imperialists in order 
to enable them to breach the city wall. Only one gate of 
the town was open, and even that was kept barred, with 
a strong guard over it. The rebels were on good terms 
with the Europeans of the Settlement, who were admitted 
into the city without scruple ; but no egress was allowed 
to the citizens, all the marketing to supply the neces- 
saries of life being effected by letting down baskets over 
the walls. The city was a scene of great misery and deso- 
lation, almost all the houses being closed, while the few 
people whom one saw standing about the streets spoke 
with bated breath, and in evident terror of their 
masters. The rebels had compelled the citizens not to 
shave their heads, according to ordinary Chinese custom, 
and their unshorn polls had a most comical appearance. 
The walls were manned by the insurgents, each embra- 
sure having a sentry, with a good stock of small guns, 
jingals, and ammunition close by. The rebels, who 
seemed to be terrible ragamuffins, to distinguish them- 
selves from the inhabitants, mostly wore a red rag on 
their heads, or had some other article of dress of that 
color. All the temples in the town were closed. Great 
atrocities were said to be committed by the rebels, the 
chief of whom had been a horse-boy in the service of 
some English gentleman, and it was currently reported 
that many unoffending people had been beheaded, while 
others had been tortured, by being forced to sit upon 
heated stones, in order to extort money from them. 
Strangely enough, some of the missionaries had con- 
ceived an idea that the rebels were a promising field for 
Christian labor, while, in a few instances, low adven- 



EXPEDITION TO XAXKIXG. 



339 



turers among the Europeans had sold them guns and 
powder without scruple. 

The perpetual popping which went on between rebel 
and imperialist did not greatly interfere with the tran- 
quillity of the European settlement, although in passing 
up the river between the city and the imperial en- 
campment, some risk was run from the guns of either 
side. 

The position of the insurgents under Tai-ping-wang 
having at this time attracted great attention, both in 
China and in England, the Governor determined to send 
an expedition to Nanking, in order to obtain a more in- 
timate knowledge of their condition and resources, and 
to form a conclusion as to their chances of ultimate 
success. Accordingly H.M.'s steamers £ Battler ' and 
' Styx ' were despatched to Nanking, and the writer 
joined the expedition. We left Shanghai on June 15, 
and after sundry mishaps during two days at the mouth 
of the mighty Yang-tsze-Kiang, in which the 4 Battler ' 
got aground twice, and the 1 Styx ' lost an anchor and 
cable, we managed to clear the bar of the river, and 
anchored off Keashan. On the ISth we passed by the 
district town of Kiangyin, a place prettily situated in a 
bight of the river, with a fine pagoda in the distance, 
and a yellow temple on the bank of the stream, and 
proceeding onwards by the Keuen Shan pagoda, made 
our way up to Silver Island, a richly-wooded hill, 
adorned at its base with white temples, from which 
probably the island took its name. Two miles beyond 
this is the celebrated fortress of Chinkiangfu, which 
our troops took in the first China war, and which gave 



340 



A VISIT TO THE TAIPIXGS IN 1854. 



a title subsequently to Lord Gough, who commanded 
our army. On arriving opposite this stronghold, which 
commands the entrance of the Grand Canal, and was 
occupied by the insurgents, a shot was fired from the 
battery at its foot, which passed just under the bows of 
the ' Battler.' Being thus brought to, we anchored for 
the night, and the next morning pulled ashore in a boat 
to demand an apology for the insult. 

On our landing at the place whence the gun was 
fired, we received a note requesting us, if we wished to 
go on shore, to proceed up the stream to the regular 
landing-place at a jetty some way off. This we accord- 
ingly did, and on landing went to the house of the 
General, or Deputy-Governor, Kang, a young man, who 
at first seemed disposed to be uncivil, but yielding to 
persuasion or remonstrance, was at length very polite. 
As we sat and talked, the room became crowded by a 
mob of ragamuffins, who came to stare at us, and ex- 
amined us and our dress very closely. They wore their 
hair, not in pig-tail fashion, like orthodox Chinamen, 
but twisted round their heads, and their polls being 
unshorn, the hair stood out in coarse bristles all over 
their heads in the most ludicrous way. Most of them 
wore moustaches and scanty beards. A few, who were 
apparently in office, wore yellow rags on their heads, 
drooping behind, like a lazzaroni's cap, while the Gene- 
ral himself donned a peculiar head-dress of red cloth, 
inlaid with embroidery, with a sharp peak in front, a 
lion on the top, and a pendent tassel behind. 

Having expressed a wish to see the Commandant of 
the fort, Wu-Ju-Kiaou, the General went to consult 



INTERVIEW WITH GOVERNOR OF CIIINKI ANGFU . 341 

him, and returned, saying that his superior had con- 
sented to see us, whereupon we mounted our ponies, 
and, passing through a double gateway, entered the 
inner city where the Commandant resided. The town 
appeared to have been thoroughly pillaged, the houses 
having been gutted, and abandoned on all sides. 
Having arrived at the Commandant's abode, we were 
kept waiting for a short time, after which a crash of 
gongs was heard, and, an inner door being thrown 
open, we were admitted to the presence. The Com- 
mandant was seated behind a long table, and, without 
rising, motioned to us to be seated. He was dressed 
in a rich satin coat of a purple color, covered with 
gold, and wore the same kind of strange hat as our 
friend the General, though more richly decorated. He 
was a young man of about thirty, and, though at first 
extremely supercilious, soon became courteous. On 
our representing the insult that had been offered to the 
Britannic flag, the Commandant observed that he had 
no means of recognising foreign vessels, and had found 
it necessary to prevent ships from proceeding up the 
river, as the impish imperialists did not scruple to hoist 
the ensign of the English or any other nation. He pro- 
mised, however, to write an apology, offered us assist- 
ance in procuring coal, and agreed to send some one 
with us to Nanking. Before we left, he politely gave 
us something to eat in the shape of several small, but 
not bad, dishes of duck, fowl, vegetables, and rice, 
which we had to discuss, however, with chopsticks, 
those curious inventions which remind the novice of 
the entertainment given by the fox to the stork in the 



342 A VISIT TO THE TAIPINGS IN 1854. 



fable. The Commandant also favoured us with copies 
of several of the insurgents' publications, among which 
were a translation of Leviticus ; an account of the 
Establishment of the Celestial Dynasty at Nanking ; a 
treatise on Land Tenures ; an exhortation to extermi- 
nate the Tartars, &c. : all these books bearing a broad 
red official stamp in token of their genuine character. As 
we rode back, we saw some heaps of coal, and were told 
that plenty more was procurable. The town seemed 
large, but was very desolate, trade having ceased, and 
the population having been reduced to one-tenth of its 
original numbers, a sign that the rebels had not en- 
listed the sympathies of the people. We were told 
that there were 3,000 women in the city, but we did 
not see any, for it had been ordered that they should 
be kept separate from the men, on the ground that, 
while the place was in a state of siege, and the country 
generally unsettled, it was unadvisable to allow them 
to interfere with military operations. Proclamations to 
this effect were posted up all about the walls, together 
with others prohibiting the drinking of all intoxicating 
liquors, exhortations to citizens to return to their 
homes, advertisements for doctors, &c. 

At a distance of about two miles, the imperialists 
were encamped with the object of recovering the city 
from the hands of the rebels, but they were too far off 
to breach the walls, and were afraid to come to close 
quarters. The fortifications appeared to be very strong, 
and were well guarded by large bodies of men, amply 
furnished with guns and ammunition, while the walls 
were surmounted by cheveux-de-frise. A canal also 



VISIT FROM TAIPIXG OFFICERS. — XAXKIXG. 343 



runs underneath the rock outside. The natural strength 
of the place is great, and as it commands both the 
river and the Grand Canal, its possession by an enter- 
prising enemy would materially affect the trade of that 
part of the country. 

After our return to the 4 Eattler ' we were favoured 
with a visit from the General, who was accompanied 
by one of his brigadiers and a colonel, if one may so 
dignify the respectable fraternity, and the three stayed 
to dinner, which they enjoyed greatly, forgetting the 
celestial denunciations regarding strong chinks. As we 
were far away from the batteries, and in the proximity 
of a besieging imperialist fleet, their visit to us be- 
tokened much confidence in our brotherly feeling, and 
some contempt for their foes. The General departed, 
highly delighted at having extorted a telescope and an 
umbrella from the Captain, and promising to present 
him in return a specimen of their peculiar head-dress, 
which however he forgot to do. The next day, the 
Colonel, who had been deputed to accompany us to 
Nanking, came off, and we steamed up the river, pass- 
ing by Golden Island, a prettily wooded retreat, with a 
small pagoda and other buildings on it. Beyond this 
is Kwachau, formerly a thriving town, which we found 
in a miserable state of ruin, and the desolate appear- 
ance of this and other places gave us an unfavourable 
idea of the conciliatory policy of the Taiping rebels. 

On nearino- Nanking, we had a good view of the 
place, which was surrounded by a strong wall, the 
Porcelain Pagoda standing out conspicuously in the 
distance. The inner city, being no less than four 



344 



A VISIT TO THE TAIPINGS IN 1854. 



miles from the river bank, could not be clearly dis- 
cerned, while the frontage of th# suburbs was very 
mean, giving no idea of the proximity of a large capi- 
tal. The approaches to the suburbs were all stockaded, 
large stakes having been driven into the ground cross- 
wise, and, between them, innumerable pieces of bam- 
boo with sharp projecting points, so that no troops 
could possibly advance over them in line. Several 
batteries commanded the river, and high look-out 
towers had been erected to survey the surrounding 
country and watch the arrival of enemies. 

We sent a boat on shore with our friend the Colonel, 
who, on landing, was immediately mobbed by numbers 
of the rebels anxious to know our errand. The next 
day, June 21, we moved across the stream, and an- 
chored close to the suburb, and after waiting some 
time fruitlessly for the Colonel's return, took a ship's 
boat and went on shore. After vainly attempting to 
pass through the wickets of the stockade, we pulled a 
little way up the creek, and landed where there was a 
ferry. Close by, a triangular flag of yellow denoted 
the quarters of the Taiping General in command of the 
outpost, which was outside the north-east wall of the 
city towards the Ifung Gate. We entered his house, 
and found him seated with two other officials, all three 
wearing the peculiar head-dress which we had seen at 
Chinkiangfu. Our reception was by no means civil, 
as they did not even rise to welcome us, a courtesy 
which Chinese politeness always dictates. On our 
seating ourselves, they enquired our object in coming 
to Nanking, and being informed that the British Go- 



TITLES OF EASTERN KING. — BLASPHEMOUS EPITHETS. 345 



vemment wished to cultivate friendly relations with 
them, and to receive information as to their power and 
resources, they told us to petition the Eastern King, 
whose name and titles were furnished in the following 
curious address : — ' The Comforter — the Holy Ghost — 
the Honai Teacher — the Eastern King — Yang, Com- 
mander-in-Chief of the Celestial Forces.' 

We promised to write to the Taiping Chief, to an- 
nounce to this mighty potentate our arrival, and, hav- 
ing sipped some tea, took our leave. The Colonel 
never returned, and we shortly ascertained that the 
people had been forbidden to communicate with us, 
either on board the steamer or on shore, from which 
we concluded that something had gone wrong. 

On examining one of the revelations which were 
presented to us at Chinkiangfii, we found out the 
origin of the blasphemous epithet applied to the 
Eastern Kino-. The treatise stated that Yang, having 
given some excellent advice to Tai-ping-wang, the 
leader of the insurgents, the latter, being well pleased 
with his devotion, said. — ' Our elder brother, Jesus, in 
leaving this world, promised to send after him a Com- 
forter. You are this Comforter, and I give you hence- 
fur ward the title of the Holy Ghost.' In the same 
revelation, it was alleged that the Heavenly Father 
came down from heaven, and ordered that Tai-ping- 
wang should receive forty strokes with a bamboo as a 
punishment for his misconduct in ill-treating various 
people, and his wives in particular, but Yang inter- 
ceded for him, and he was let off with a severe 
reprimand. 



346 A VISIT TO THE TAIPINGS IN 1854. 



On the 22nd, we passed through a part of the 
suburb, but were stopped at a wicket gate on our way 
to the city wall, and no persuasions would induce the 
rebels to admit us inside, so we entered the residence 
of a chief outside, who was very civil, but pleaded his 
positive instructions not to allow us to proceed beyond 
the gate. This man informed us that the ' second 
coming ' had taken place the previous year at Nan- 
king, and, in confirmation of the popular belief, we 
saw many people, when about to sit down to dinner, 
repeating, at their grace, a prayer £ in the name of God 
the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Eastern King 
the Holy Ghost/ Some said this kneeling, others 
standing. 

A great many junks were lying in the creek, full of 
fighting men, who, to the number of 10,000, were 
starting off on an expedition, in consequence of some 
news which they had received from the north, though 
of what nature they would not say. All the boats had 
flags, chiefly triangular, and the soldiers wore a uni- 
form of red and yellow, with the common fighting cap, 
each man having the number of his regiment stamped 
on his coat, or a piece of wood suspended in front. 
Their arms were rude and inferior, consisting mainly 
of long spears, short swords, and halberds, but mus- 
quets or fusils were rare. The rest of the population 
were poorly dressed, and their heads looked exceedingly 
grotesque, owing to their unkempt bristly hair, but 
they were tolerably civil and used no abusive language. 
The taboo was rigidly maintained, on the alleged ground 
that, on a previous visit from the American steamer 



TAIPIXG PAMPHLETS. 



347 



' Susquehanna,' annoyance had been given by the rebels 
to the crew, but it is probable that they suspected our 
intentions. It was stated, however, that when the 
American minister was at Nanking, a middy who had 
wandered about the place in search of the Porcelain 
Pagoda, had climbed over the walls, and thereby 
created considerable sensation among the Taipings, 
who resolved from that time to keep all intruding 
foreigners aloof. 

On the 23rd, while we were taking a walk in an- 
other direction, we were again stopped by a wicket. 
In reply to the request which we made for an inter- 
view, and for admission into the city, the General com- 
manding the outpost wrote to say that he had received 
the ' golden commands ' of the Eastern King, to the 
effect that he was too busy in sending off troops to see 
us, but he forwarded, for our initiation into Heavenly 
Precepts, sundry pamphlets similar to those we had 
received at Chinkianofd. The following: is a list of 
these productions : — 

1. Leviticus. 

2. Deuteronomy. 

3. Joshua. 

4. Important discourses on Heavenly Principles. 

5. Discourse upon branding the impish den ' Chihli ' (Pekin) with the 

name ' Tsuy le ' (an opprobrious word). 

6. Book of Declaration of the Divine Will, 2nd series. 

7. On affixing the Golden Seal to Royal Proclamations. 

8. Treatise on Land Tenures. 

9. Calendar for 1854. 

These pamphlets were all fairly printed, but were the 
oddest jumble of truth and falsehood, of sense and non- 
sense. 



348 



A VISIT TO THE TAIPINGS IN 1854. 



We then despatched a long letter to the Eastern 
King, putting a variety of questions as to the number 
of the Taipings, the extent of country they had con- 
quered, the number of their troops, their laws and 
usages, and so forth, while a request was made to be 
supplied with coal, of which in our walks we had 
seen great quantities. 

On the 25th, crowds of a force just returned from 
some warlike expedition came on board the 4 Battler,' 
and examined everything most curiously. Most of 
them were dressed as soldiers in yellow coats with a red 
border, having short swords swung on their backs. One 
of them, who said that he had been impressed into the 
service, stated that at Nanking provisions were scarce, 
and that the rebels had, latterly, been unsuccessful 
in the north. He further remarked that it was gene- 
rally believed that we had come to extort money, 
which had led to the refusal to see us. All our 
visitors had unkempt heads and a savage appearance, 
and, though sharp enough, they were a disreputable 
set. One small boy, ten or twelve years old only, 
bragged of having cut off the heads of five or six 
men, and inspected the ship guns in a most inquisitive 
way. 

Having received verbal permission to take in coal 
from Kiahwan, in a creek close by, where there was 
an extensive coal-yard, we dropped down by what 
is called in the maps 6 Theodolite Point,' and anchored 
opposite the coal sheds. Soon after, a Colonel came 
on board to ask us to wait till the next day, to which 
the Captain of the ' Eattler ' consented. In the after- 

■ 



SUSPICIOUS CONDUCT OF TAIPINGS. 



349 



noon a boat came off with a letter, written in the 
form of an order, telling us to go away, and demand- 
ing to know whether we wished to get into collision 
with the rebels. This letter, being offensively worded, 
was returned to the bearer. Two hours afterwards, a 
large gun was brought down, by the rebels within a 
quarter of a mile of the ' Battler,' while several others 
which were in a masked battery on the river bank, 
were disclosed, bearing directly on the ship. The 
officers on board were indignant, one young middy 
stamping on the deck, furious with rage at the im- 
pudence of the Taipings ; but the Captain, who had 
received orders to avoid, if possible, any conflict with 
them, thought it prudent to send a boat on shore to 
demand the meaning of this apparent act of hostility. 
The rascals who had dragged down the big gun swore 
it was only intended for the imperialists, but as it bore 
straight on the 6 Battler,' and as, in the narrow creek 
in which we lay, we should have been exposed to the 
possible treachery of the 'Brethren,' the Captain 
judged it advisable to shift his quarters, so we weighed 
anchor, and passing up the creek again, anchored in 
the main stream, near some mosquito-haunted marshes. 
These insects are most annoying at Nanking. They 
devoured us in swarms, and as we had no curtains, 
and the heat was great, we were obliged to submit to 
be stifled under a sheet, or to be bitten frightfully 
all over. The men rushed about the deck at night, 
angry and sleepless, pursued by their pertinacious tiny 
foes. 

The Yang-tsze-Kiang river at Nanking, though 250 



350 



A VISIT TO THE TAIPITOS IIS T 1854. 



miles from the mouth, is a mile wide, and runs like a 
mill sluice, at the rate of five miles an hour. 

On June 27, we received a letter from some minor 
official informing us that the Eastern King would answer 
our communication. This letter containing an offen- 
sive appellation, a remonstrance was sent in. The 
messenger was also told to acquaint his superior that 
a salute would be fired by the 'Battler' the ensuing 
day in honor of the Queen's birthday, it being deemed 
prudent to mention this, lest the Taipings should suspect 
hostile intentions. 

On the morrow, we received another letter to the 
efiect that the word 6 barbarian ' had been used to dis- 
tinguish between the Brethren and us, thus assuming 
all the offensive superiority to which we had objected. 
The letter also stated, with reference to our intimation, 
that a salute would be fired in honor of our Queen, 
that the Eastern King had been graciously pleased to 
accord his permission to us to do so, but desired at the 
same time that we should learn that the use of the 
word ' imperial,' as applied to our Queen, was highly 
improper, it being employed solely to signify the 
Deity. No allusion was made to our application for 
coal, nor to the wish we had expressed to visit the far- 
famed pagoda. The letter was most offensively worded, 
and was accordingly returned by the bearer, while an 
answer was again requested to our previous communi- 
cation. 

In the evening, a boat came off, bearing a letter, or, 
so-called, 6 order ' from the Eastern King, enclosed in 
an immense yellow envelope, eighteen inches long and 



CURIOUS LETTER FROM EASTERN KING. 



351 



a foot wide. It was of great length, and contained 
answers to the questions put by us, while, at the same 
time, His Majesty, being greatly puzzled about the 
meaning of certain scriptural texts in his copy of the 
Pentateuch and the New Testament, put a great many 
questions to us in return, nearly all of them bearing on 
religious topics. 

The letter commenced with a prologue to the fol- 
lowing effect : — ' I am the Holy Ghost, appointed by 
special orders of the Heavenly Father, who personally 
took the trouble to come down on earth to instruct me,' 
and a good deal more to the same effect. After this, 
our questions were answered, though, in most cases, 
very imperfectly and evasively. 

The document asserted that the Heavenly Father, 
when about to enjoin His commands on mankind, came 
down personally on earth, taking the form of the 
Eastern King, and through his golden lips proclaimed 
his ordinances. Jesus Christ, it was said, similarly 
assumed the person of the 'Western King,' the next 
dignitary, and the name of • Tien-Kwoh ' was given to 
the dynasty founded by the rebels. We were informed 
that they had not, up to that time, struck coin, nor 
issued Government Gazettes, while their army was 
vaguely stated to be innumerable, and their range of 
empire to include the whole earth. Their laws did 
not appear to be well defined, but drinking was de- 
nounced under severe penalties, and many other crimes 
were apparently as severely punished as under ordinary 
Chinese law. 

The theological questions put by Yang savored both 



352 



A VISIT TO THE TAIPINGS IX 1854. 



of shrewdness and absurdity. For instance, he asked, 
5 What length and breadth has God ? ' 4 What is the 
color of His beard?' 'What clothes does He wear?' 
The same queries were made regarding our Saviour, 
with additional questions as to the number of his 
daughters and granddaughters. Then, some pertinent 
enquiries were made as to the right interpretation of 
difficult texts, such as, ' Eepent ye, for the Kingdom of 
Heaven is at hand.' Yang asked why Jesus was 
nailed to the Cross, and why he rose again on the 
third day ? 

It appeared from this strange communication that, 
though the rebels had procured copies of portions of 
the Bible, they had no one competent to interpret to 
them the meaning of Scripture. The last remark made 
by the Eastern King was amusing enough. He en- 
quired why we barbarians, who ought to bring tribute 
to the Celestial Kingdom, had the presumption to come 
to him and ask him for coal, thus showing our ignor- 
ance of heavenly precepts. In commenting upon our 
unenlightenment as to celestial doctrines, Yang com- 
passionately observed that he was not much surprised 
at our ignorance, seeing whence we came. 

The next day we formed a synod for the purpose of 
answering the questions put to us, by no means an 
easy matter, considering the absurdity of some of them. 
The rebels insisted that the Tatars must be the Satan 
mentioned in the Bible, and Yang ingeniously tried to 
establish this by several quotations which he thought 
apposite. 

On June 30 we left Nanking, and just before we 



LEAVE NANKING. — GOLDEN ISLAND. 



353 



got under weigh received a letter froni one of the 
rebel Generals, requesting us to take to Chinkiangfii 
a brother of the Colonel whom we had brought up 
with us, and whom we had never set eyes on since we 
landed him. On the boat, which brought this missive, 
returning, we sent on shore our answers to the Eastern 
King's questions. 

About three hours' steaming, aided by the rapid 
current, brought us to Fehing, on the left bank of the 
river, thirty miles below Nanking. Here we anchored, 
and. in the afternoon, pulled up a creek leading to the 
town, which is a large place, with a considerable 
population, but was pillaged and burnt the year before 
by the rebels. Though many houses in it were aban- 
doned, there was an abundance of provisions, of which 
we were in need, and the inhabitants seemed much 
more respectable than the ragamuffin gang at Nan- 
king. They gave us tea and pipes in one of the Joss 
houses, which had apparently been visited by the rebels, 
as the images in it had been destroyed, and we set out 
afterwards to visit the magistrate, who had the polite- 
ness to come out in his chair to meet us. He and all 
the other officials were very civil, supplying us with 
everything we required, and, in all respects, presenting 
a most favorable contrast to our Nanking friends. 
Most of them had, however, lost their buttons, for 
their unsuccessful resistance to the insurgents, who, 
only a few days before our arrival, had again attacked 
the town, and killed a great many people. 

On July 2, we reached Golden Island close to 
Chinkiangfii, but, on landing, were refused admittance 

A A 



354 A VISIT TO THE TAIPIXGS IN 1854. 

by the rebels. We found that this pretty little 
retreat of Boodhist priests had been quite ruined, all 
the temples having been unmercifully pillaged and 
burnt. We saw two handsomely carved marble pillars, 
one of which was broken, and some fine porcelain gable 
ends and tiles, but everything was mutilated, many of 
the houses having been knocked down to build a small 
fortification, behind which the insurgents had en- 
trenched themselves. Failing to procure admittance 
to this famous sanctuary, we sent off to Chinkiangfu 
the rebel whom we had brought down from Nanking, 
and invited our old acquaintance, the General, to cortfe 
on board, which he declined doing, saying that he had 
received orders not to visit us again. 

The next day, we got into a boat and pulled down to 
Silver Island, visiting on our way the imperialist fleet, 
which was besieging Chinkiangfu. We went on board 
a square-rigged ship called the £ Glenlyon,' hired by the 
imperialists, on which were four Europeans, but no 
Mandarins, the latter being higher up the river. One 
of these men stated that the royal army encamped 
near Chinkiangfu amounted to 90,000 men, but this 
number must have been greatly exaggerated. We 
were told that, on the capture of the fortress by the 
rebels, 2,600 of the inhabitants were pressed as soldiers, 
and sent to Nanking, while their wives were locked up. 
and guards put over them. After having been sub- 
jected to every kind of indignity, these women were 
driven out in a body at night in the direction of the 
imperialist encampment, each with a lantern attached 
to her breast, which the imperial troops seeing, mistook 



PUSILLANIMITY OF IMPEEIALISTS. — SILVER ISLAND. 355 



them for a rebel force making a sortie, and, firing on 
them, killed a vast number. 

The Glenlyon people said that the imperialists often 
charged up to the walls of Chinkiangfu, but were 
always driven back by the heavy guns mounted on the 
bastions, while the royal fleet, owing to the pusillanimity 
of the Mandarins, appeared to be useless. It was said 
that the rebels had fourteen or fifteen Europeans in 
their service, but that these were irregularly paid, 
owing to the uncertain position of the insurgent 
cause. 

Silver Island, or more correctly Eocky Island (Tsiaou 
Shan), was formerly the site of a celebrated monastery, 
which, till destroyed by the rebels, was in a flourishing 
state. There was a very handsome temple, the images 
in which had been smashed, while the cloisters were 
destroyed and the sacred books burnt, every vestige of 
them having been made away with by the fanatical in- 
surgents. We failed in obtaining any manuscripts 
whatever, though the library was formerly celebrated 
and extensive. From the monastery, a stone pathway 
leads to the top of the hill, whence there is a fine view 
of the surrounding country, including the course of the 
Yang-tsze-Kiang river, the Chinkiangfu heights, and 
the fertile low land on the left bank. 

Passing by Kiang-yin, we proceeded down to Lang 
Shan, or Wolfs Hill, and, with considerable trouble, 
made our way across the river to Fushan, a station of 
some importance, with a fort. At this crossing, we 
found only three and three-and-a-half fathoms of water, 
and even this depth with difficulty. Heavy rain cle- 

A A 2 



356 



A VISIT TO THE TAIPIXGS IN 1854, 



tained us at Fiishan till July 6, when we steamed 
off again, but ran aground near Mason Island, where 
we had to wait till the next tide carried us off. On 
July 7, we got back to Shanghai without mishap. 

The result of the expedition above narrated was to 
shake a belief which had prevailed among many per- 
sons that a pure type of Christianity had sprung up in 
China, inasmuch as an examination of the various pub- 
lications brought back by us demonstrated that the 
rebels professed many absurd, not to say blasphemous, 
tenets on religion. It was further apparent that, al- 
though they had overrun a great part of the Chinese 
empire, and had, owing to the imbecility of the imperial 
rule, obtained considerable temporary success, they 
only occupied permanently a few towns of importance, 
while they had no hold on the revenue or trade of the 
country, and subsisted by plunder and pillage. They 
had certainly not enlisted the sympathies of the people 
about Nanking, who have little in common with the 
natives of the Fokien and Canton provinces, whence 
the insurgents came, and being, with but few exceptions, 
illiterate, they failed to command respect from the 
higher classes, even though many of the latter may 
have been opposed from patriotic feelings to Tatar 
ascendancy. It is to be feared that both they and the 
Mandarins oppressed the unfortunate inhabitants of 
the districts where the intestine feud was raging, and 
loud were the complaints of the cruelties practised by 
both sides. That the rebels were, at the time of our 
visit, only in possession of forts and other strong places, 
was proved by their inability to stop the now of trade 



ERRONEOUS IDEAS ABOUT TAIPINGS. 357 

on the Yang-tsze-Kiang and the Grand Canal. They 
had no commerce of their own, nor did they seem to 
care about intercourse with foreigners, distinctly assert- 
ing that, if the latter did not come to pay tribute, they 
did not wish to see them. 

It is probable that many persons sincerely believed 
in the reality of the conversion of these strange zealots, 
but some of the reports spread about them were evi- 
dently untrustworthy. For instance, in a book pub- 
lished by Vizetelly and Co., giving an account of their 
proceedings and of the interesting communications with 
them held by Sir G. Bonham, there is a print repre- 
senting the rejoicings at Nanking on its capture by the 
rebels. This print is taken from a French book con- 
taining pictures of oriental scenery, in which the identi- 
cal print is to be seen as representing the Chinese feast 
of lanterns ! 

The Colonel whom we took with us to Nanking stated 
that, at the capture of that place by the rebels, thou- 
sands of people were ruthlessly murdered, and it is 
notorious that the native Christians were among the 
victims. Had any missionary of any persuasion gone 
among the rebels and told them that they held erroneous 
doctrines, and that Yang's assumption of the title of 
6 Holy Ghost ' was a blasphemy, there can be little doubt 
that he would have paid for his rashness by his life. 
In short, there never was a more egregious mistake than 
to suppose that these fanatical and blood-thirsty robbers 
were sincere and pious Christians. 

The question arises whether it is justifiable or wise to 
disseminate broadcast among oriental races translations 



358 



A VISIT TO THE TAIPINGS IN 1854. 



of the Scriptures without commentary or explanation, 
as has been done in China and elsewhere. In the first 
place, the translations themselves are not always free 
from error, as must needs be the case when a European 
renders into a foreign tongue, of which his acquaintance 
is partial and imperfect, phrases and words the exact 
meaning of which it is difficult to convey, when they 
are abstruse in signification, or when they represent a 
novel idea to an oriental mind. But, even supposing 
that the translations are perfect, and represent accu- 
rately the sense of the original, is it proper to let every 
man put his own interpretation on every passage, and 
communicate to others what may be an essentially 
faulty doctrine ? It is not reasonable to say that the 
Word of God is sufficient, and will explain itself, or we 
should not witness such an absurd travestie as was ex- 
hibited by the Taipings in their religious tenets. 

These deluded fanatics having procured from a 
Canton source copies of the Pentateuch and of parts of 
the New Testament, had blindly accepted the construc- 
tion put upon the difficult passages by their leaders, 
and were consequently entangled in a maze of errors, 
from which, had they been actuated by the purest in- 
tentions, they would have had difficulty in extricating 
themselves. As matters stood, their chiefs misused the 
Scriptures to subserve their own political ends, and pro- 
pagated a false and delusive belief, which did much 
harm to the advancement of real Christianity. 

In the early days of missionary enterprise in China, 
viva-voce teaching was the weapon used by the Catho- 
lic missionaries, who, dressed like the natives of the 



POSITION OF MISSIONARY ENTERPRISE. 



359 



country, penetrated into the interior in every direction. 
For more than two hundred years they labored in 
China, with the tacit, or even open assent and support 
of its sovereigns, making thousands of converts, and 
winning for themselves, by their literary and scientific 
attainments, the respect of the people. They neither 
received nor cared for the protection of European 
Powers, but, after the China wars, fought in the in- 
terests of commerce, had entirely changed the relations 
of the China Government towards European States, it 
is not surprising that the Catholic missionaries should 
endeavour to get themselves placed on the same foot- 
ing as their Protestant brethren, and consider them- 
selves equally entitled to protection. 

The accusations preferred against them at the time 
of the Tientsin massacre, by certain writers in the 
daily papers, were based upon imperfect information 
as to the circumstances, and ignorance of oriental pre- 
judices. It is notorious, and the fact has been ob- 
served in all ages, that converts to Christianity are 
regarded with dislike by many of their pagan country- 
men, who have not been slow to prefer false charges 
against them before the local authorities. Formerly, 
the labors of missionaries, if not encouraged, were, 
at any rate, not proscribed by Chinese officials ; but, 
after the humiliation to which their country had been 
subjected in its wars with European States, their re- 
pugnance and antipathy to foreigners were greatly in- 
tensified. Being unable, however, to resist, by force of 
arms, the objects of their dislike, they wreaked their ven- 
geance in the only way which was practicable, namely, 



300 



A VISIT TO THE TAIPINGS IN 1854. 



by courting false charges against helpless native Chris- 
tians, and those who were devoted to the cause of 
religion and mercy. 

The massacre at Tientsin appears to have arisen 
from a blind hatred on the part of the mob against all 
foreigners, rather than from purely religious bigotry, 
but both causes combined, no doubt, led to the out- 
rage. It is to be lamented that certain daily prints 
took so little trouble to ascertain the real facts, but 
when allegations of petty larceny against an Emperor 
found admittance into the columns of a famous paper, 
it is perhaps not strange that Sisters of Charity should 
be deemed capable of imprudent conduct. 

As regards the alleged arbitrary proceedings of 
French officials, it may be observed that, whatever 
may be their desire to push French prestige beyond 
due limits, their past history in the East does not lead 
to the conclusion that this is done in the interests of 
religion, to which, as is well known by those who have 
watched their actions, they are mostly very indifferent. 
Indeed, it may be mentioned in confirmation of this 
view, that the Bishop of Canton in vain applied to the 
French Consul at that port to procure the release of 
a native Christian woman who had been unjustly con- 
demned to death by torture by the Chinese authori- 
ties, and that his object was only effected by the timely 
and humane intervention of the British Consul. 

Without discussing further whether the indiscrimi- 
nate dissemination of the Bible in China, where the 
copies are often applied to base uses, is judicious, or 
wmether the publication of numerous tracts directly 



FALSE INTERPRETATIONS OF SCRIPTURE. 361 

attacking the superstitions of the Chinese may not have 
aroused religious fanaticism on their part, it is evident 
that the diffusion of the Scriptures by ignorant zealots 
like the Taipings, with the wild and distorted com- 
mentary put upon the sacred writings by their chiefs, 
was productive of great mischief. 



363 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS 
AT HOME. 



Off Socotra, October 26, 1867. 

Dearest . — Such a delicious breeze ! I am 

feeling as cool as a cucumber, and as fresh as a lark ; 
and how Ave do all enjoy it, after the suffocating damp 
of the Eed Sea ! Notwithstanding all its miseries, the 
voyage is very amusing. 

We left Aden, where there is not a vestige of ves;e- 
tation (I was told afterwards that there is one garden), 
and which looks, what it is, the crater of a volcano, 
with strange fantastic mountains of lava, and small 
hills of coal, and numbers of seedy-looking camels 
trotting about, a regiment, and a few ships and shops. 
The chief amusement was buying ostrich feathers and 
watching native divers. About twenty of these fellows, 
quite black, and some with curly red hair, swam out 
to the ship, and dived for money flung out to them by 
the passengers, remaining, as it seemed, many minutes 
under water. They swam about the ship all day. 

As we steamed away, we met the 4 Malabar,' a trans- 
port, with troops for Abyssinia, and we gave them a 
cheer. Now we are fairly off for eight or nine days, 



364 CHIT-CHAT WITH FEIENDS AT HOME. 

with 400 passengers, the most crowded mail of the 
year ! I wonder the purser can survive the journey, 
as all complaints go to him, and how John Bull does 
growl and grumble when he can't get all his home 
comforts, and is hot ! Certainly, the passengers are 
great fun. There is Colonel E., a good-natured man, 
but now in a perpetual ferment, boiling over and ex- 
ploding all day long. Mrs. E., having no maid, has 
cut off her hair in despair. Mr. JST. and Mr. V., 
the former looking like a surly bear, the latter like a 
perspiring frog, playing whist from daybreak to sun- 
set. There is Mrs. 0., a gushing young woman of 
forty, going out to her husband. She laughs heartily 
all day, and flirts with all the gentlemen, who make 
great fun of her. She sings, too, with a stentorian 
voice, devoid of sweetness. 

Mrs. G. is very interesting ! She is also going out 
to her husband, the event being so near that it might 
take place on board. She thinks everyone dread- 
fully selfish, and is full of woes, which she is ready to 
pour into our ears, while two crying children do not 
contribute to her peace of mind, nor that of her 
neighbours. 

Captain F. has the fever, and life is a burden to 
him. Mrs. F. is doubtless in his eyes a fine woman, 
but is a perfect feather-bed, and has a little girl, who 
is frightfully spoiled and screams #11 day long. 
Colonel and Mrs. S. sit apart from the common herd, 
and only associate with ' dear Lords,' and Sir W. S. 
If she sits aft, she cannot enjoy her baccy (cigarette) ! 
She wears a wondrous chignon. She likes everything, 



MEET A NATIVE BOAT. — CEYLON. 



365 



and never grumbles, but is rather disconsolate at the 
prospect of losing ' her set ' (the great people) at 
Ceylon. 

Two Miss Downfalls are in charge of Mrs. F., who 
has given them up, because they will dance with the 
ship's officers, and go on the forecastle after dark. 
Dr. M. is a good Samaritan, and supplies Mrs. B. with 
Liebig's mixture and China tea. She looks very well, 
but is dreadfully spoiled, and is a very bad sailor, 
feeding the fishes so frequently as to be a source of 
discomfort to her gudeman. 

To-morrow we hope to be at Ceylon, and to rest 
there forty-eight hours. What a luxury to sleep in a 
real bed, and not to be awoke by a donkey engine, 
screaming children, cocks and sheep, or a pig giving 
its expiring squeak ! 

Madras, November 8. 

I wrote last on the Indian Ocean. It was a weary 
run to Galle of nine days, the sea calm, but with a 
heavy swell on it, and we just escaped a gale of wind. 
The 6 Candia ' rolled in grand style, like the pendulum 
of a clock. The single incident was meeting a native 
boat in distress, it having lost its way. They delayed 
us some hours, and the ' on dit ' on board was that 
the captain of the said boat wanted to be shaved, and 
that his wife was anxious to possess a chignon. 

You can imagine what a relief it was to the eye, 
after the dreary grandeur of the desert and the ocean, 
to feast our eyes on the exquisite loveliness of the 
luxuriant vegetation of Ceylon. Even the rocks out 



366 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FKIEKDS AT HOME. 



at sea were covered with waving verdure, and the air 
really was scented with the spices and flowers. 

We got safely into the rickety native boats managed 
by men in birthday suits, who shout and wail, and pull 
as hard as they can. When we landed, the feeling was 
like being in one of those tropical conservatories, but 
still it did not seem in the least oppressive. We put 
up at a fine new hotel, ' The Oriental,' our room being 
like a great barn, whitewashed, with an arch and 
wooden shutters for a window, the floor tiled, marble 
tables, and two iron beds, well protected with net cur- 
tains. How we did enjoy our champagne lunch ! As 
it was Sunday, we drove to the Catholic church, our 
coachman and footboy being, with the exception of 
one small garment, both 6 au nature! ' We found in 
the church an Italian Benedictine, who spoke English 
perfectly, and advised us to drive on through the 
cinnamon groves, which we did. What wonderful 
vegetation ! date trees, cocoa-nuts, betel-nuts, and 
plantains, the natives running after the carriage with 
oranges, pine-apples, and flowers. When we stopped 
we were surrounded by pretty native children, bringing 
precious stones, pearls, feathers, and beautiful tortoise- 
shell ornaments for sale. I felt like a fairy princess. 
Some of the natives climbed up into a cocoa-nut tree, 
and having pulled off one, opened it, and offered it to 
me to drink. I thought it too sweet and sickly. Others 
brought sticks of cinnamon and lemon leaves for me to 
smell. They were very gentle, and seemed much 
amused. 

What a luxury a real bed was, and did I not sleep 



PLEASURES OF LANDING AT MADRAS. 



367 



like a top ! Next evening I walked with L. on the 
ramparts, and we saw such a sunset — gold, purple, 
blue, and green, with white spray, and a pink glow 
over all. At four o'clock next morning we were all 
on board ; but, after leaving jjralle, we experienced 
strong head winds and currents against us, which sadly 
delayed our arrival at Madras. 

Shall I ever forget that last night on board ? I saw 
the sun set, without a sight of land ; and, to add to our 
discomfort, it began to blow fresh, and an order was 
given to close the ports. Then the croakers, of whom 
there are always plenty on board, went about, saying 
the captain expected a gale, and that we should not be 
able to put into Madras for some days. L. made my 
bed up on one of the benches, as the heat below was 
stifling, and lay down himself on the deck beside me. 
It seemed but an instant afterwards when I was startled 
by the report of a gun, and, opening my eyes, found it 
was daylight. I had really slept soundly all night, and 
we had just dropped anchor off Madras. The 6 Candia ' 
was rolling about in a wonderful way, and everyone 
was saying what a dreadful night we had had ; but I 
knew nothing of it. Of course, the voice of a croaker 
sounded in my ear. 6 Do you see that flag, Mrs. B. ? 
that's the danger flag! Sorry for you! Don't you 
wish you were were going on with us to Calcutta ? ' 

I made a hasty toilette, no crinoline, only petticoat 
and waterproof, and prepared for a grand ducking. 
When I came on deck, a number of officers had, I 
found, come on board, and one of them handed me 
a letter from Lord N., asking us to go straight to 



368 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



Government House. We accepted, and I was after- 
wards very glad we did so, for I enjoyed the visit 
exceedingly. 

'Until all was ready, I amused myself by looking at 
the strange scene. Besides the large boats that came 
off for passengers, numbers of naked men, seated astride 
on logs of wood with a long paddle in their hands, 
came to have a stare at the ship and her company, 
their long hah" streaming in the wind, and one and all 
shouting like madmen. After all our boxes had been let 
down into one of the crazy looking boats, which were 
full of water, I bid good-bye to our friends on board, 
and descended the ladder. What with the yelling of the 
people, and the dashing of the boat, I felt very much 
like the Yorkshireman, 'clean mazed and stagnated.' 
Just as I was preparing to jump in, a large wave came 
and dashed the boat like a nut-shell under the ladder, 
and lifted us up with it. Then down we went again, 
and I jumped safely into the arms of the ship's officer. 
Then we were several minutes in getting clear of the 
6 Candia,' each great wave carrying us back to her ; and 
when she rolled over on her side, as if to crush us, it 
really was terrific. 

The twenty natives who rowed the boat were in- 
voking £ Santa Maria ' and ' Xavier ' all the way to the 
pier. I don't know why we were not all swamped, as 
I never saw such frightful waves ; and no ordinary boat 
could have lived in them. I suppose the lightness of 
the native boats, which are made of bark, sewn together 
with thick twine, renders them safe. Arrived at the 
pier a tub was let down, and we were hoisted up in it. 



GOVERNMENT HOUSE. 



369 



A deputation from Mysore awaited our arrival, and 
great wreaths of pink and white flowers were put 
round our necks, and bouquets presented to us. 

Now, let me see if I can give you a description of 
Government House. It stands in a very pretty park, 
but the foliage of the trees is much richer than in 
England, and there are tall feathery trees like gigantic 
ferns. The earth is quite red, and there are great 
birds which scream, and little blue birds ; and instead 
of deer, there are antelopes jumping and bounding 
about in an odd way. The house is painted to look 
like white marble. There are no doors, but you drive 
under a portico, and ascend a flight of steps thirty feet 
wide, through a grand open hall, up a very handsome 
branching staircase, and everywhere there are great 
vases full of exquisite flowers. You finally arrive at a 
drawing-room like a Grecian church— all white, with 
pretty chintz sofas and easy chairs, with punkahs 
waving slowly in a sleepy way over you. From this 
you enter smaller drawing-rooms, without doors, and 
with arches instead of windows, leading into a wide 
verandah with Indian matting to keep out the sun. 

Native servants, all dressed in white, with white and 
red turbans, stand about here and there, watching to see 
if anyone wants anything. There are no bells, and if you 
call out, ' Peon,' instanter he stands before you. An 
Ayah with bare feet, rings on her toes, two large gold 
nails in her ears, besides earrings, a large ruby (?) in- 
serted in one nostril, and a scarf gracefully wound 
about her person, was called up and told to take care 
of me. 

B B 



370 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 

We remained at Madras three days. The order of 
the day was — ten o'clock, breakfast ; two, tiffin ; and 
five, tea ; and directly the sun set, we all turned out, 
Mrs. F. and I driving, while the gentlemen rode. All 
the grooms run, and are marvellously fleet. They wear 
short white dresses, scarlet and gold belts and turbans, 
and flourish long whisks of white and scarlet hair. 
Those who run with the carriage shout to the natives 
to clear the road. We drove up and down a fine road 
by the sea, the band playing, and all the world taking 
the air by moonlight. At eight we dined. Each even- 
ing we had a dinner party of thirty persons, and dined 
in the verandah, which was airy and cool, a band 
playing the whole time. 

Bangalore, November 20. 

As it is fourteen hours' journey to Bangalore, L. 
secured a through carriage, which is so comfortable that 
you can go to bed and sleep in it. As I stepped in, two 
neat square baskets were handed in, which turned out 
to contain a dainty dinner which Mrs. F. had kindly 
ordered to be sent — everything from ice to salt. We 
eat our dinner, and then I undressed partially, and 
went to bed with great comfort. 

I was in the middle of a dream, when I became 
aware of a noise and something bright. It was quite 
dark, but a deputation had come down the line to greet 
us, and forty or more natives in white sheets, and with 
torches and tomtoms, were looking at me, much to my 
embarrassment. L. got out to speak to them, and 
they offered him fruit and flowers, one of them stand- 



WELCOME TO BANGALORE. 



371 



ing forward to make a speech. At four o'clock we 
stopped again, and there was another deputation, with 
more fruit and flowers, and atar of roses. There was a 
comfortable waiting-room, so I made my toilette, and 
enjoyed a cup of hot tea. Then w r e started again. 

It was a glorious morning. L. said a litany and 
morning prayers, and, shortly afterwards, Bangalore 
came in sight, looking in the distance like an English 
village, with the spires of the churches peering up 
amidst the trees. 

Inside the station were all the officers of the com- 
mission, with their wives, and outside the scene was 
most extraordinary. The whole native population had 
turned out. A rocky eminence in front of the station 
was one mass of human beings in white dresses, with 
every variety of colored turbans, producing a most 
picturesque effect. L. stood for a few moments on the 
steps, salaaming, — that is to say, bowing and touching 
the forehead with the right hand— and then we drove 
off, a detachment of cavalry galloping in front. As 
we neared our gates, we came to a triumphal arch — a 
mass of flowers, with ' Welcome ' written above in white 
roses. Here the crowd was so dense that the carriage 
came to a standstill, and an address was handed in by 
one of the principal natives, accompanied by specimens 
of fruits. Then they insisted on putting a wreath of 
white roses and silver cord round my neck, and ano- 
ther round L.'s. When we entered our compound, 
guns fired, the flag was hoisted, and we were at home. 
The steps of the house were one mass of flowers, and a 
servant was waiting inside with a bouquet from the 

B B 2 * 



572 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 

Eaja's own garden. As for myself, I was fairly be- 
wildered, what with the dust, noise, and novelty of the 
whole proceeding. 

Bangalore, December 4. 

I enclose a list of our household ; as each servant 
only does one thing, we are obliged to have a great 
many. Their costumes are light and airy. The three 
women, who are about our rooms, wear a scarf twisted 
round their persons, a jewel in one nostril, and all sorts 
-of things in their ears, gold nails, &c, and on their toes 
they have silver rings. When I gave them their new 
scarfs they put them on, and then came and lay flat on 
the floor at my feet by way of saying, 1 Thank you.' 
The butler and boys (we call them ' boys,' but they are 
all men, and some rather ancient), wear white muslin 
trousers, white calico upper garments reaching to the 
knees, and white turbans. The coachman and horse- 
boys wear blue cloth blouses, bound with scarlet, and 
fastened in at the waist with a scarlet and blue belt, 
white knickerbockers and scarlet turbans. In the hot 
weather, they wear all white, and they have bare legs 
and feet always. 

I have a capital cook, but how he ever tons out 
such good dinners from the place called a kitchen is 
quite beyond me. They light little charcoal fires on 
the hearth, and there is no such thing as an oven or a 
grate, or a boiler or a jack ! and yet we have joints 
and entrees, just as if we had one of Benham's stoves. 

One thing is universal. They never express the least 
surprise. My butler, for instance, if you praise him, 



ODD SERVANTS. — NATIVE CHRISTIANS. 373 

says nothing. If you scold him, and tell him he is a 
thief and a liar, he receives your information with the 
same passive indifference. Last week, he told me his 
brother had killed his wife with just the same noncha- 
lance. A few days after, he asked to be allowed to go 
and be shaved, because his brother had been hung, and 
it was their custom to shave at such times. All the 
servants are alike in this respect. They are all most 
attentive, and run like hares if I want anything, and 
are really very clever. The first dinner-party I gave, 
I troubled myself to arrange the flowers, but the next 
party ' master's boy ' did it all quite as well as I did it 
myself, so I never troubled myself about it again. 

L. went to Mysore, to pay his respects to the Eaja, 
who sent me a garland of flowers, and a betel-nut to 
chew. He told L. if he came again without me, he 
would not receive him, and said he had heard I was 
good tempered and long-handed. Some translate this 
to mean extravagant, others charitable. 

December 6. 

We are very early people in this part of the world. 
Last Sunday they kept the feast of St. Francis Xavier 
at the native church, and we sent word that we should 
attend at mass. Such a wonderful sight ! It is a fine 
large church, built in the form of a cross. It was 
beautifully decorated with flowers by the Indians, and 
round the altar great exotic leaves had been most 
gracefully arranged. The church was quite full, and 
we had to pick our way over the people to gain the two 
prie-dieu's, which Pere C. had placed for us before the 



374 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



altar. When the mass began, the people all sang in 
Canarese in a very touching and devotional manner. I 
should be afraid to say how many hundreds of the poor 
Indians went to Holy Communion, and their devotion 
was most edifying. Some of the men were grand 
looking fellows, with a single tuft of hair on their heads, 
and a white scarf twisted about their persons. The 
women, though of course very nude, were very clean, 
and wore all sorts of ornaments. Altogether it was a 
very strange sight ! The priests dress all in white, and 
wear long beards. They look very worn and ascetic. 

Now, C. will, I know, like to hear about the horses. 
Well ! the stables are beautiful, and every morning be- 
fore breakfast, I put on one of L.'s wide-awake hats, 
and hoist an umbrella, while L. lights his pipe, and 
away we go, down the front steps, through the flower 
garden. Of course I look very wise as I pass the gar- 
dener, and make believe I know all about his plants 
and flowers, while he, funny old fellow ! wearing won- 
drously little clothing, bends down to the ground, and 
scratches the gravel and then his forehead, by way of 
saying, ' Your faithful servant.' 

Arrived at the stables, there is a general neighing 
of welcome, for we feed the horses every morning 
with bunches of lucerne, of which they are very fond. 
A grand man in a blue coat and a scarlet turban, who 
looks so diabolical that Marie says she is sure he is 
the old gentleman himself, carries the bunches of grass. 
First comes Ajax, a wicked pony, but most handsome, 
who has a bushy mane and a mischievous eye. He 
affects to be shy and won't beg for his grass. Close to 



STKAXGE BILL OF FARE. — A NATIVE POPE. 375 



him are Black Prince and Erebus, two black horses L. 
bought for my special use. When we have passed 
them, Gay, the old brown carriage-horse, has thrust out 
his head and neighed, and begins to beg beautifully, 
holding up his leg in an exemplary manner. Melbourne, 
his companion, is white and uninteresting. Then come 
the pets Euby and Topaz, a pair of chestnut Arabs, 
pretty creatures, but not yet thoroughly trained. 

My other pets consist of two peacocks, the poultry, 
supplying the table with fowls, ducks, and turkies, some 
lovely white rabbits with red eyes like rubies, and some 
white doves. 

I shall finish my letter with a verbatim copy of the 
bill of fare for my first dinner-party, as sent up by the 
cook, and I hope it may amuse you as much as it did 
me : — 

Hotche-potehe soup. 
Poulay. 

C otholathe Mouthong, with Allusonby sauce. 
Mouthong thongconsom, 
Judthuni Voulvang. 

JOINTS. 

Mouthong — Cocks Turky — Snips. 
Blumanger — Sooka Poodang. 
Maccaroning. 

December 8. 

Last week we had a most curious sight here in our 
compound. The great Gooroo, or Pope of Southern 
India, announced his intention of paying L. a visit. He 
is supposed to be an incarnation of the Deity. Of 
course he could not condescend to enter a Christian 
house, so L. had to receive him on the lawn. First 
came a number of natives dancing, shouting, and 



376 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. « 

-beating tomtoms, then an elephant bearing two huge 
drums, with a baby elephant. Then the Gooroo, car- 
ried in a magnificent cross palankeen, which is borne so 
as to stop the way, he being the only person permitted 
to be carried in this manner. He is an old man of 
seventy-eight. He wore a gold tiara, an emerald neck> 
lace, and silver shoes, and behind him was carried his 
successor, a child of seven, w T ho is supposed to have the 
marks of the Deity about him. Gooroo senior lives on 
vegetables, and actually drinks (horribile dicta) cow's 
water. He sat on a wooden chair, and L. opposite 
him. I was peeping through the Venetians all the while. 
Just under the window stood six dancing girls covered 
with ornaments. They were very handsome, and had 
chignons of flowers — a regular bouquet at the back of 
their heads. ... 

Christmas. 

The time draws near the birth of Christ j 

The moon is hid, the night is still ; 

A single church below the hill 
Is pealing, folded in the mist. 

A single peal of bells below 

That wakens at this hour of rest, 

A single murmur in the breast, 
That these are not the bells I know. 

Like strangers' voices here they sound, 
In lands where not a memory strays, 
Nor landmark breathes of other days, 

But all is new unhallowed ground. 

It was just so. The sound of church bells below 
the hill woke me up about eleven o'clock, just in time 
to get up and dress for midnight mass, and L. read me 
out those lines from Tennyson, as we sat awaiting the 



CHRISTMAS DAY. — THEATRICALS. 



377 



carriage. The church was all lighted up and looked 
very nice. The band of the 10th Eegiment played 
Mozart's 12th Mass ; Pere C. gave Holy Communion, 
and we thought and prayed for all our dear ones at 
home. 

After breakfast all the servants came with flowers 
and gilt limes, which they presented to us, wishing us a 
happy Christmas, and then the government peons as- 
sembled outside, with the bands, followed by messages 
and visits from the principal natives at the station. I 
have had to give all the servants Christmas bpxes, — quite 
an undertaking, — and they took me in, and got double 
what they ought to have had, looking excessively 
pleased with themselves in consequence. 

The Lancers the other day got up some theatricals, 
some of the men taking ladies' parts, but, as they 
had forgotten to engage a maid to superintend their 
toilettes, you can image how convulsed we all were to 
see a young lady appear on the stage with a crinoline 
and a tulle dress, of course quite transparent, which 
had never occurred to them, the heroine being quite 
unconscious of the cause of the excessive laughter which 
greeted her debut, and attended her performance to the 
end. 

January 6, 1868. 

Once upon a time in Bungalum — somewhere down 
there in India, you know, or you don't know the exact 
whereabouts — it was early in the morning, so early 
that the sun was not up, though somebody else must 
have been, for, as the. clock struck six, a cannon was 



378 CHIT-CHAT WITH FEIENDS AT HOME. 

fired off — bang ! and Mrs. Commissioner, who had been 
fast asleep a minute before, dreaming all sorts of plea- 
sant things, woke up with a start. She had only been 
in Bungalum a few weeks, and had not as yet become 
accustomed to the six o'clock and nine o'clock guns, — 
one to blow her out of bed, and the other to shoot her 
in again, — so she awoke, turned round on her pillow, and 
lay listening to the sound as it boomed away over the 
parade ground. Mr. Commissioner was awake also, or 
has been for some time, per force of habit, being a very 
early bird. Up he jumps. Of course he knocks his 
head or his back with the weights on the mosquito 
curtains, and, having given one or other, or both, a 
conciliatory rub, disappears into his dressing room, from 
which he is not long in reappearing in stout yellow 
leathern gaiters, booted and spurred. Of course he 
takes a peep through the curtains at Mrs. Commissioner. 
' Well, did I ever ! what a kitten it is for sleep ! ' he 
mutters, for she has relapsed into her former state of 
blissful unconsciousness. 

Let her sleep, while we follow Mr. Commissioner, 
who, having gulped down a cup of tea and munched a 
piece of toast with relish, walks out into the verandah, 
on which exeunt peons for ' Ajax ' with all possible 
speed. There is a cold feeling in the air, and 
a white fog envelopes the landscape. The redoubtable 
Ajax comes sidling along, winking first at the horseboy 
and then at his master out of his mischievous eyes. 
He does not want to be petted, not he ! and he pre- 
tends to object to being mounted, but it is all in vain, 
and Mr. Commissioner has jumped on his back. "Now 



A SCAMPER ON AJAX. 



379 



for a spree, thinks the wicked pony, laying back his 
ears, and plunging out of the gate full tilt. Away 
they go, out of the civilised world of Bungalum, into 
the wild country, with its great boulders of rock, 
speaking of ancient earthquakes and upheavings, miles 
and miles. Not a soul, not even a policeman on his 
beat, sees the Commissioner ride forth, chuckling in- 
wardly, as he reflects how he will take in the Amildar 
of Chitteldroog, and surprise all the native officials. 
He has heard of certain irregularities at the travellers' 
bungalow, and thinks there is nothing like going to 
the spot himself. It is a matter of eight miles, but, 
halt ! here we are ! Won Ajax ! A call from without 
the bungalow, a feeble response from within, and out 
comes a native servant, his swarthy limbs wrapped in a 
white sheet, wondering who on earth comes that way 
so early in the morning. ' What does the Sahib 
want ? ' ' Show me your price-list,' says Mr. Commis- 
sioner, taking no notice of the man's manner, which is 
not what it would be if he knew who his visitor was. 
6 You have not got one ? then call the Amildar.' Native 
stares. ' So early in the morning, call the Amildar ? 
and who shall I say wants him ? ' 'A Sahib,' replies 
the Commissioner, sitting back at ease in his saddle, 
while Ajax winks, as much as to say, 4 Here's a pretty 
go ! ' The man in the sheet scuttles down into the 
village, reappearing after some time with the Amildar, 
not in the most respectful or pleasant mood at being so 
disturbed. 4 Where is your price-list ? ' 4 Haven't got 
one,' retorts the man, drawing near. 4 Very well,' says 
Mr. Commissioner, rising in his stirrups with becoming 



380 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 

dignity. 6 If you don't send one in before four-and- 
twenty hours you lose your place.' The Amildar 
stares. 4 And who are you, Sahib ? ' c The Commis- 
sioner.' The Amildar is electrified ; he has jumped out 
of his shoes (a sign of disrespect to appear in them), 
and is now salaaming to the earth. The Commissioner 
flourishes his whip, and Ajax is already a mile on his 
return home before the astonished Amildar has col- 
lected his scared senses. While the news goes the 
round of the village, Mr. Commissioner sits on the 
edge of the bed, chafing his cold hands, putting in his 
shirt studs, and amusing Mrs. C, who is by this time 
wide awake, with the account of the morning's adven- 
ture. How cold it was ! how Ajax did pull, and how 
he tried to run away after a sixteen miles gallop, as he 
turned in at the lodge ! 

In the meanwhile, a very picturesque group has 
come up to the bath-room door. A white bullock, 
laden with a large black skin full of water, the con- 
tents of which are being emptied into a big tub. Yes ! 
we all wash in tubs at Bungalum, reminding one of the 
days of our childhood, of nurses, and Saturday night. 
Mrs. Commissioner watches the shaving process, and 
then her lord and master sallies forth again, and having 
asked her in a pointed manner if she knows what time 
it is, retires to his study. 

Scene 2. — Enter Mrs. L., all smiles, with a cup of 
tea. Enters also from the garden Poochao, the black 
maid, hiding her face in her hands, as a mark of deep 
respect. Poochao always hides her face in the presence 
of Mrs. Commissioner. No doubt she imagines the 



HOW WE SPEND THE MORNING. 381' 

light of her countenance would be too great for her. 
Poochao's accomplishments consist in being able to 
wave a duster in the mildest manner possible, by way 
of dusting, and, with help, she can make a bed, and 
empty the basins and fill them, but Poochao is very 
honest and a good soul on the whole. Mrs. C. is 
dressed, and having called Mr. C, they say their 
orisons together before the ivory crucifix which stands, 
with their Prayer-book, at the foot of their bed. Then 
they sally forth, disturbing a small swarm of peons 
squatted on a mat in the verandah. The sentinels 
salute the Sahib. They wear a scarlet costume that 
looks well amongst the green trees, and would look 
well on nearer inspection, but for a white bandage 
which they wear under their chins, as if they suffered 
ever and aye from toothache. 

Just as Her Most Gracious Majesty walks on the 
slopes, so daily do Mr. and Mrs. C. walk on the levels 
to the stables and poultry-yard. The sun is hot, the 
wind is cold, and when the solemn voice of the butler 
says, 6 Breakfast on the table, Sir-r-r-r,' with such an 
'r,' Mr. and Mrs. C. are quite ready for it and 
enjoy it. 

Scene 3. — It is eleven o'clock. ' Garee mungow,' 
shouts the Commissioner to the peons — interpreted, 
' carriage to the door.' Take it to Jericho, thinks 
Mrs. C, who always puts on a long face at this stage 
,of the day's proceedings. At last Mr. C. gets to the 
door, but turns back and says, c Let me see, did I give 
you a kiss or not ? ' Of course Mrs. C. says she thinks 
not, and so gets or takes another. Then Mr. C. sallies 



382 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 

forth, putting on his office face, for the peons in the 
verandah would lose all respect for the great man if 
they thought he cared for Mrs. C. Orientals look upon 
women as inferior animals. Mr. C. frowns. Peon 
seizes the great gold-headed stick, that magic wand, 
the sight of which strikes awe and veneration into the 
hearts of the natives of Bungalum. Of what passes in 
the fort from that hour until half-past five let no man 
enquire. Mrs. C. says it would not interest her. No 
doubt the grapes are sour. She will go there at half- 
past five o'clock, but she will not be admitted within 
its sacred precincts. 

Scene 4. — Missus can see ! and soon gets out a smart 
bonnet, and in bustles with a rustle Mrs. Chatterbox, 
who is so anxious to see Mrs. Commissioner, and to 
have something to talk about. 'Ah, yes, she knew 

the house in dear old Sir 's time. He was her 

father's brother's mother's first cousin, once removed. 
She came to Bungalum herself as a bride, she won't 
say how many years ago,' &c. Having had her chat 
out, she departs. Enter Mrs. Alleyes, all curiosity to 
see the alterations. Mrs. C. feels that no great exer- 
tion is needed on her part in the conversational line, 
Mrs. Alleyes takes it all in. e New carpets ? hand- 
some! Sofas re-covered! water-colors, embroidered 
table-cloth.' Alleyes shall write for some to-day. 4 And 
so that is the fashion ? tassels ! nothing new in the 
hair line? Good-bye.' Exit Alleyes, and enter Mr. 
and Mrs. Pump, who let down the buckets at once. 

' So sorry to hear Mr. B. is going away I to H ? ' 

Mrs. Commissioner replies that she knows nothing 



SMALL TALK. — HEIMWEH. 



383 



about it. ' When is the Eaja to be invested with the 
Star of India?' Mrs. C. wonders when, also. 'General 

will be down here soon, no doubt.' Mrs. C. 

thinks it is very possible. Buckets drawn up empty ; 
and Pumps desist and depart. 

Enter Mrs. Smalltalk. 'Have you heard of Mrs. 
Brown ? What do you think people say of poor Mrs. 
White, because she took Colonel Blackbird home from 
the bandstand ? And as to Miss Fickle, well, really ! 
I don't know what to say ! ' She then departs. Enter 
young Jackanapes of the 11th with his bosom 
friend De Courcy Plunger. 4 Haw ! dull place, Bun- 
galum ! horrid slow place ! nothing for a fellow to do ! 
no balls this year ! wish they were in a jungle, rather 
than in a half-civilised place like Bungalum.' One 
cackles while the other brays. D. G., exeunt both. 
Follows Mrs. Affirmative, and then Mrs. Negative. 
Shut up — two o'clock. 

Solemn voice, ' Tiffin on the table, marm.' Mrs. 
Commissioner walks into her dining-room, and sits down 
at a large table in a big armchair to a nice basin of 
mutton broth. Four black faces, that is, eight eyes, 
are upon her. How loud that clock does tick ! Mind 
wanders away thousands of miles to lunch going on 

at . c My own dear daddy ! mother darling ! 

C love ! how I wish you were all here ! and 

there's Prince and Minette, and dirty old Tibby, and 
Tiny whining outside on the window-sill. Let him in.' 

6 Missus please.' £ Dear me, where am I ? Oh, yes, 
all right!' and off Mrs. C. walks, to inspect a tailor re- 
covering a sofa. 



384. CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME 

Scene 5. — Five o'clock. Chocolate and toast, and 
then away to the fort goes Mrs. C. in her easy barouche, 
with black horses, and the two running horse-boys, 
through the pettah, with its palms, temples, and shops, 
through crowds of natives staring and salaaming, 
through eastern sights and smells up to the old fort, 
under the gateway, up the hill through the inner gates, 
and then pull up. Mrs. C. pretends not to see the old 
madman, wrapped up in a ragged old shawl, who daily 
tries to intercept and get something out of Mrs. C, 
and the old crazy woman who has been every clay for 
ten years with ' her case.' Mr. C. is long in coming, 
and a crowd has collected all staring. Some are 
handsome looking men, others dreadful objects with 
deformities. A stir ! Mr. C.'s mysterious box, and the 
practical bottle of sherry and the empty biscuit-tin 
appear, followed by Mr. C. himself. Soldiers present 
arms, and then Mr. and Mrs. C. go for their evening 
drive, have a snug little dinner at eight, a little music, 
a little reading — petting ? of course not — and then at 
ten retire to rest. So ends our day. 

January 30. 

Last week the Mahometans had their grand feast 
and holiday, after their fast. L. knew they would all 
go to the gardens (Lai Bagh) in the evening, so we 
made a point of going, no other Europeans being there 
except ourselves. The gardens were crowded with 
men and their children, all in their best, but no wives, 
who are never seen. The costumes were marvellous. 
Yellow satin trousers, crimson embroidered waistcoats, 



GAUDY COSTUMES. — MY DRAWING ROOM. 385 

with a showy Cashmere shawl flung over the shoulder, 
that was the fashion. There was, however, an endless 
variety, pink trousers and blue vests, and I must say I 
coveted some of the latter. We walked about, and L. 
spoke to the men he knew. I had a chat with a man 
and his two little children, wonderfully got up. I 
asked him where he had purchased the lovely em- 
broideries the baby had on. He replied, ' Our ladies 
make the things.' The little girl, five years old, wore 
on her head a gold metal cap set with pearls, pearl 
earrings and nosering, six gold bracelets on one arm, 
a sort of loose green silk chemise, and a shawl pinned 
on her shoulders. Such a little oddity! She was 
really pretty, with the most beautiful hands and feet. 
The natives seem fully to appreciate the gardens, and 
every evening numbers are there sitting under the trees, 
or looking at the flowers and animals. . . . 

February 8. 

The twelve o'clock gun has just fired. I am sitting 
at my writing table. The window is open ; a pair of 
ring-doves are billing and cooing in the verandah ; the 
fish are disporting themselves in the aquarium ; there 
is a pleasant smell of mignionette and roses, a warbling 
of birds, and a chattering of squirrels. The sentry is 
walking backwards and forwards in the sun. What is 
he made of ? It is Saturday, so L. is at home ; but he 
is shut up in his study, seeing this person and that on 
important affairs ! Official, of course ! He has opened 
his door (to have a peep at me ? it must have been for 
that). I have stepped in, and given him — never mind 

c c 



386 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



what — and have been packed out again in double quick 
time. 

Last Sunday evening we had a row. The Gooroo 
went in state through the cantonment ; and passing 
with his elephants and tomtoms in front of the mosque, 
where the Mahometans were at prayers, they sent out 
to prevent him passing — upon which the Gooroo's 
escort came back, elephants and all, and tomtomed 
louder than ever in defiance of the mosque and its 
inmates. This enraged the latter to such a pitch that 
they rushed out, and the Gooroo had to take refuge in 
a shop, from which he was afterwards conveyed away 
by the back door ! In punishment for causing this 
row, L. has reduced his Holiness's escort from thirty to 
ten men, and forbidden him to come in future into the 
cantonment. Four hundred natives have signed a 
petition to L. against the insult offered to their high 
priest. 

The Eaja has just sent us a baby elephant, three 
months old. It was enticed from Mysore with sugar- 
cane, and now cries piteously for its mammy. We 
packed it off to the Gardens. It looks like a very old 
man who has lost his teeth. . . . 

March 28. 

A telegram has arrived announcing the Baja's death. 
He expired at eleven o'clock at night, and at twelve 
next day his body was burnt according to the Hindoo 
rites. At five o'clock, all the troops at Bangalore, 
mustering 2,000, were had out on the parade ground, 
about half-a-mile in front of our house. I did not go 



LE ROI EST MORT ! VIVE LE ROI ! 387 

myself, but witnessed the scene from the verandah. 
It was a cool afternoon, the sun being hidden by a 
bank of clouds threatening rain, or rather rejoicing our 
hearts and eyes with the promise of it. In the distance, 
a cloud of dust and a beating of drums announced the 
arrival of the troops on the parade ground. On every 
side, crowds of natives in their white dresses were seen 
trooping towards that point. Major E. arrived in our 
compound in full uniform, and a few Silladars in their 
picturesque dresses came curvetting on to the ground. 
Then appeared the Commissioner on his beautiful 
Arab, in cocked hat and the Windsor uniform. The 
flag was flying half-mast high, and there was a great 
commotion among the crows, who doubtless were 
aware, not of the event, but of the coming rain. 
Then the bugle sounded to announce the Commis- 
sioner's arrival on the parade ground, followed by a 
salute of thirteen guns, fired in his honor. The wind 
dropped, and the flag hung motionless against the flag- 
staff. Somebody, given to feeling fidgety, strained her 
eyes through an opera glass, but saw nothing but a 
cloud of dust and an occasional flash of fire, when up 
sprang the breeze, and out floated again the flag, 
followed by a salute of twenty-one guns for the young 
Kaja. Le Roi est mort! vive le Roil and down came 
drops of delicious rain — which is, of course, looked 
upon by the people as a happy omen. L. returned,, 
it got dark, and down fell the shower. We had our 
chairs placed in the verandah, and there sat, enjoying 
the smell from the thirsty earth, and the pattering of 
the rain on the leaves, till it was dinner-time. The 

c c 2 



388 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



frogs croaked, the lizards ran about, and the squirrels 
carne hopping into the verandah, while we threw open 
all the windows and doors, and said, i Oh ! how 
refreshiDg ! 5 

September 30. 

On Saturday, September 19, a telegram was received 
from Mysore that the installation of the young Eaja 
must take place on the 23rd, as the wise men and 
astrologers, having consulted the stars, found that that 
was the auspicious day, the hour to be between eleven 
and twelve o'clock. It was useless to remonstrate at 
this short notice, so L. said £ Fiat,' and I grumbled, and 
set Marie and two tailors to work and stitch their 
fingers off to get ready. 

TheEaja's stables having been reduced from unlimited 
supplies of horses and carriages to ten pair, it was no 
longer possible to post royally along the road of eighty- 
four miles in his Highness's carriage, as of old ; so 
bullocks were laid, and, out of consideration for my 
bones, the bullock coach was discarded, and a pole 
adjusted to the office carriage, which makes up into a 
bed. I was only allowed the smallest portmanteau, 
which was tyranny and oppression to the highest 
degree, when three toilettes and a best bonnet, to say 
nothing of a crinoline, had to be stowed away. How- 
ever, I could not remonstrate, when a Windsor uniform 
and a cocked hat had to travel ignominiously in a 
bundle ! 

A pair of bullocks having been pressed into the 
service with many blows and shouts, we set off at a 



HOW I JOURNEYED TO MYSORE. 



389 



famous trot, a Silladar curvetting in front, and several 
more kicking up a dust behind, while a peon ran in 
front, shouting to everybody to keep out of the way. 
Away we went, down through the native town, the 
people staring and salaaming, out into the wild rocky 
country beyond. As we passed through the different 
talooks or villages, the Amildar or Magistrate came out 
to meet us, followed by the inhabitants, and, whilst we 
changed bullocks, presented garlands of flowers and 
limes, and chatted with my husband in Canarese of the 
coming event. 

After a time the road became more rough — very bad 
indeed — and the bullocks had hard work to get along. 
The difficulty was overcome by a native, with only his 
loins girt, sitting on the shaft, shouting and twisting 
the tails of the poor beasts, while the driver lashed, 
and the peons, running on either side, poked them with 
their sticks ! Two wild-looking natives ran on ahead, 
as it grew dark, with torches, the smoke and smell of 
which were anything but agreeable. As we approached 
the villages, a native with a curious horn announced our 
arrival by a cheerful blast. During the night, in pass- 
ing through the villages, we saw the people asleep out- 
side their huts, rolled up in their blankets, white or 
coloured, looking like so many mummies. The great 
banyan trees looked so ghastly in the moonlight, with 
their gnarled branches and beard-like appendages. 

Once during the night we were awoke by loud cries, 
and, stopping, found that the Silladar had given a 
whack to a pair of bullocks at the head of a train of 
carts, which had resulted in the animals upsetting the 



390 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 

cart into a ditch. The cries were so piteous that we 
concluded that the driver was under his cart, and L. 
got out to render assistance, but found the man unhurt, 
sitting by the wayside weeping — I ought to say howl- 
ing — and wringing his hands, Indian fashion, instead of 
setting to work to do anything. 

At the Muddoor station, which was nice and clean, I 
made myself tidy ; we had a comfortable breakfast, 
and, being joined by Major C, started again at six 
o'clock, in a comfortable carriage of the Eaja's, with 
good horses. 

We soon crossed the Cavery — the first Indian river I 
had seen. The country was very green with rice crops 
and mulberry trees, and is irrigated by water channels 
from the Cavery at this season of the year. We now 
got along at a great pace, and soon came in sight of 
Seringapatam peeping out amongst the luxuriant vege- 
tation. There was the mosque, the fort, the tomb of 
Tippoo Sultan, the house and garden occupied by the 
Duke of Wellington, and the lofty monument erected 
to the memory of the officers who perished at the 
storming of the fort, In crossing an arm of the 
Cavery, we had a beautiful view at the Eaja's bathing- 
place, beneath a very picturesque bridge. Great 
flights of steps lead down to the water, and women in 
bright clothes were filling their brass vessels with the 
water, and walking away with them on their heads. 
The river looked so deliciously cool that it is not very 
strange that these poor Indians should worship it when 
it is the source of such blessings to their country. 

The next stage seemed very short, and we were 



GAY DjOINGS. 



391 



joined by a regiment of Silladars, who look very well 
in a body with their gold and scarlet dress and turbans. 
The native saddles also are very handsome, whilst the 
horses, adorned with colored ropes and tassels round their 
necks, add greatly to the general good effect. They 
certainly consider themselves fine fellows, and show 
off and kick up no end of dust. I was nearly choked. 

Next we came upon a man with his horn ; then a 
temple, with all the dancing girls outside in their best, 
with their priests and their everlasting tomtoms. A 
little farther on was a deputation of all the merchants 
of the city, with a congratulatory speech by a stout 
burly gentleman with much gesticulation, which, had 
we not been obliged to listen to it all most uncomfort- 
ably in the glare of the sun, would have amused me 
greatly. Then garlands and bouquets were thrown into 
the carriage. I was indeed rejoiced to reach the Kesi- 
dency, and get into the cool house. 

On Wednesday, at eleven o'clock, we were all dressed 
and assembled at the Eesidency, which was formerly a 
palace of the Eaja, and has in it one of the finest rooms 
in India. All the company at last arrived, and we 
went off in carriages, preceded by the Silladars, while 
natives ran on each side, bearing very long lances with 
scarlet streamers and gold cords and tassels. These 
lances they shake and clang in a peculiar manner, and 
to my mind most musically. In the procession were 
carried some curious batons and mitres, insignia of 
royalty. 

All the people were thronging about, and when we 
turned under the gates of the fort, within which is the 



392 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



palace, and arrived at the great square in front of it, 
the noise was such that it was impossible to make any- 
one hear. It was all dumb show. God save the 
Queen ! Native music ! Tomtoms ! A great mass of 
human beings in the square, and every individual 
shouting ! Had I not been told what to expect, I 
should have been frightened. 

Upon driving up in front of the palace, one of the 
princes, by name the ' Prince of the Chamber of Cupid,' 
a grandson of the late Eaja, came forward. I salaamed, 
he salaamed, and extended his two hands, upon which 
I placed one of mine, and he led me up the steps, 
surging with people, into the inner court of the palace to 
the chair on which sat the young Eaja, to whom I 
salaamed, and with whom I then shook hands. 

My husband and Major E. following, did the same, 
and then they took the little man by the hand, and, 
leading him up the silver steps, lifted him on to his 
throne. Then you should have heard the row ! The 
lances were clanged, the English hurrahed, the natives 
shouted, and the bands and tomtoms played. I never 
was in such a din, and the crowd surged up, and 
there came a perfect shower of flowers. We were 
pelted on all sides, and L. had to protect the little 
Eaja with his cocked hat, while Major C. did his 
best for me ; but it was hopeless, and there was nothing 
for it but to endure. My dress was ruined at once, 
all the flowers being soaked in attar of roses ! I 
looked up, expecting to see the little Eaja terrified 
and in tears, but, like a high-born Oriental, he sat as 
cool as a cucumber. 



THE WEE KING SET ON HIS. THRONE. 393 

I must describe the little fellow to you, and his 
throne. Chamraj Wodiar, Maharaja of Mysore, is 
going on for seven years of age. He is not dark, but 
of a rich olive complexion, with most splendid eyes. 
He has bare feet, coat and trousers of gold, and a 
beautiful turban, hung round with great drops of 
emeralds and diamonds. Major E. had the state rings 
and bangles made to fit his small feet and fingers. 
The throne is like what one reads of in a fairy tale, of 
solid gold, very ancient, and exquisitely chased and 
carved. From the arms hang ropes of real pearls. 
The umbrella above it is surmounted by a peacock in 
emeralds and diamonds. Two attendants stood behind, 
waving feathers tipped with diamonds, and two others 
waved in the air, in a peculiar way, Cashmere shawls, 
or what looked to me like them. 

After a time, order was established, and we all sat 
down, the English on the left, the royal princes on the 
right. The little king looked about him with astonish- 
ing coolness, and began chewing a betel-nut ! Had he 
cried, the people would have thought it a bad omen. 
As it was, he was a born king, and they were all 
delighted. 

Then followed the ceremonies. First came the Brah- 
mins, with incantations and prayers, sprinkling the 
child with the waters of the sacred rivers of India. 
Secondly, his pedigree, from the gods down to the 
present day, was read out. We gave him three cheers, 
and there was a great row. Thirdly, presentation of 
the fruits of the earth, carried in on trays, the Eaja 
laying his tiny hand on everything with great dignity, 



394 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



Fourthly, presentation of twenty-one trays of presents, 
and a very handsome necklace, from our Government, 
and my husband fastened the ornament round the 
little fellow's neck. Fifthly, descending from his 
throne, the Eaja presented twenty-one trays to L., 
and fastened a splendid necklace of pearls, diamonds, 
and rubies round his neck, a shawl, embroidered in 
green and gold, being thrown over his shoulders. 
Then the Eaja placed wreaths of flowers over L.'s 
neck and mine, but he could not get them over my 
bonnet, which seemed to amuse him greatly. Then 
he presented each with a rose, and a gold tray being 
handed in, he scented the roses with attar, and gave 
each of us a betel-nut, after which he was again placed 
on his throne. 

Then followed the homage of all his relatives, who 
advanced one by one, and bowing down, placed their 
heads on the throne, each offering a present, which the 
Eaja just touched. Then all the English officers 
salaamed and shook hands, and were handed out to 
the carriages as before, amidst renewed shoutings, the 
bands playing 6 God save the Queen.' 

I must tell you that the floor of the raised platform 
was carpeted with cloth of gold, which was soon 
inches deep in flowers. 

Tn the afternoon of the same day we went a second 
time to the palace for a durbar. Inside the palace is 
a great room, looking on and opening into the square, 
but upstairs, and the throne had been placed in the 
balcony, so that all the public might see it. 

First came the Brahmins, and the child had actually 



INSTALLATION CEREMONIES 



395 



to worship his throne, walking round it three times, 
and throwing lotus flowers at the foot of it, prayers 
being meanwhile recited. Then L. put him on his 
throne, while the mob below closed in. and there was 
another storm of flowers, L. protecting the Eaja's face 
with my fan ! 

Then there were wrestlers below fighting, then 
sword-dancing, and, behold, the State elephant, 
painted, and done up for the occasion in his best. 
He was led up to the front of the balcony, and 
saluted with his trunk in the air. He was followed 
by the State horse, magnificently caparisoned, and lastly 
came the sacred cow, worshipped as an impersona- 
tion of the Deity, covered with pearls and cloth of gold. 
Finally, all ended with fireworks and ' Good night ! ' 

On returning to the Eesidency, we had just time to 
dress for the grand dinner given to all the European 
officers. After dinner, we drank the health of the 
Queen, L. made a short speech, and then we drank 
the Eaja's health. After dinner, we had music, and 
we got up some Christy Minstrels' songs. In fact, 
everything went of! well. 

On the following day I* and I drove round the town 
of Mysore, and had a very picturesque view of the old 
walls of the fort, an avenue of trees, and a large tank 
or lake-like sheet of water, with Chamoonclee rising 
beyond, on the summit of which is a house, and a 
temple dedicated to the tutelary deity of the Mysore dy- 
nasty. On returning, we all went to the stables to see 
the horses, and feed the pigeons, great beauties, and 
formerly special pets of the late Eaja. 



396 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIEKDS AT HOME. 



After breakfast, we went to the palace, and saw all 
over it. It is a most cnrious and interesting place. 
We went first into the inner courtyard, where the 
installation took place the day before, and then took 
a squint down a long dirty-looking passage to the 
kitchen, which Major E. advised us not to visit. 
Passing up an open staircase into a low wide gallery, 
we saw to the left the ladies' apartments, and turned 
to the right into a small ante-room lighted from above, 
in the centre of which was a square place railed off, 
and slightly sunk, in which are kept the sacred cow and 
her calf. The former was evidently viciously disposed 
towards us, and made a thrust at the railing to get at 
us, ringing a silver bell. Her daughter, however, was 
more amiable, and allowed us to pat her. They were 
both as sleek as horses, and had each an attendant, 
watching to administer to their wants. 

We then went into the inner durbar-room. In the 
centre the ceiling was hung with long chains of colored 
glass beads, and, as the sun shone upon them, the effect 
was very pretty. The doors were of massive silver, 
carved all over with hideous gods and goddesses. I 
wonder why the natives imagine their deities to be so 
very unpleasing in then* appearance. The silver doors 
were certainly very handsome, but Baptiste, with his 
plate powder, would have greatly improved them. 
The room was low, except in the centre, and foil of 
portraits, some of which were dreadful daubs. The 
Eaja frequently slept in the passage, and was taken 
from it when dying, and carried down-stairs and laid 
upon mother earth, as is their custom. The staircase 



CHAT WITH THE QUEENS. 



397 



led up to some nice snug sitting-rooms. In the Eaja's 
proper bedroom we were shown a pearl necklace, 
composed of 2,400 pearls. 

We then went to another part of the palace to pay 
our visit to the queens. The gentlemen had to speak 
to them through a curtain, but I was allowed to pass 

behind it, with an interpreter, a Mrs. . On going 

in I found all the six ladies seated on chairs. I sa- 
laamed to each, and shook hands. A chair was then 
placed for me before the first queen, and I was asked 
to sit down. 

As to their costume, as they were in mourning, no 
jewels were worn, and all had plain clothes, excepting 
the first queen, who had on a very magnificent green 
and gold shawl. She was a nice-looking old lady, 
with refined features, and after shaking hands with 
me, rarely spoke during my visit. Next to her sat 
No. 2, a jolly, good-natured, portly old lady, who 
talked all the time as fast as her tongue would go. 
She began by drawing my chair close to her, and seiz- 
ing and squeezing both my hands in hers, said she 
was delighted to see me, and we had the following 
conversation. 

Mrs. B. — 4 1 hope you were not all much fatigued 
by yesterday's ceremonies ? ' 

2nd Queen (tears rolling down her fat cheeks). — ' My 
two eyes were not big enough to look at it all ! but you 
must intercede that it may not be all show, but real ! ' 

Mrs. B. — ' There is no further need of intercession. 
The boy is crowned, and the British Government will 
protect his rights.' 



398 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



3rd Queen. — ' We are overcome with gratitude to Mr. 
B. We know that all the joy we feel is owing to him.' 

Mrs. B. — 4 1 should like to see the mother of the 
young Eaja.' 

1st Queen.— 'We will send for her. 5 

Then the second began talking to my husband in 
Canarese through the curtain, and in a few minutes 
in came the young Eaja and his mother, a very nice 
looking young woman, with splendid eyes like he r 
son's. She salaamed down to the ground, and then, 
with all her heart in her eyes, she took up the little 
fellow and put him on my lap, saying, 6 I give my child 
to you. He is not mine any longer, and you must 
protect him, and intercede for him.' Then women 
servants came in with a silver dish, with a garland of 
flowers, which the child took and put round my neck, 
and then placed a rose in my hand, scented by him 
from a gold scent-bottle with attar. Finally, he handed 
me a betel-nut, all of which I of course accepted with 
a salaam. 

The little boy was superbly dressed, and had on 
such a necklace ! 

1st Queen. — 6 Do you admire the necklace ? ' 

Mrs. B. — ' It is most beautiful, but the child is far 
handsomer than the jewels.' 

At which pretty speech, great satisfaction was evinced 
by all the ladies. 

3rd Queen. — c 1 see by your face that you love 
children. Have you any of your own ? ' 

Upon which an explanation followed of the loss of 
my baby. 



PEETTY SPEECHES. — TEMPTING TREASURES. 399 



2nd Queen. — 4 You have travelled a long way. Do 
you like India ? ' 

1st Queen. — 'We will show you our jewels. Lady 
D. could not speak for looking at them ! ' 

2nd Queen, — £ You speak more kindly to us than 
any English lady we have seen. We like you better 
than any one we have seen.' 

But here a messasre came that I had remained long 
enough, and that I must come away, so I shook hands 
with them all, the second queen begging me to ask L. 
. to send them to Benares, that they might finish their 
religious duties for their husband's soul. The little 
Eaja gave me his two hands, and conducted me out 
with astonishing self-possession and gravity. 

When I got out the gentlemen began laughing at 
me for staying so long, but I found they were, never- 
theless, all curiosity to know what the queens were 
like, and what they had said. 

We next visited the library. The books are all 
written on palm leaves, strung together, and com- 
pressed between wood, ivory, or silver plates. Poems 
and fairy tales comprise the literature of the country, 
and some of the books were illuminated. 

We then visited the armory, a most curious col- 
lection, but some of the weapons were terribly cruel, 
and made me shudder ! We then passed into a great 
durbar-room, full now of boxes of treasures. We had 
one box opened, and looked till we were tired at 
ladies' clothes made of cloth of gold, worth 1,000 
rupees each. We saw shawls by the dozen, and our 
eyes ached with looking. Some of the boxes were 



400 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



marked outside with the name of the queen whose 
particular treasure they contained. 

I was attacked by a violent cold, and could not go 
to the evening durbar, but was told that the little 
Eaja complained of the great weight of his turban, 
and begged he might have a lighter one, which, I 
think, shows him to be a very sensible child. 

On returning home, we travelled at different hours, 
and I was glad to see something of the country we had 
before passed in the dark, parts of which are strikingly 
picturesque. We entered Bangalore in the evening, 
and as we drove through the pettah, or native town, 
we came in for the procession at the close of the Dus- 
sera. All the gods and goddesses were being carried 
on cars with shoutings and tomtoms, the people being 
painted and got up in most extraordinary costumes, 
so that it really was a very singular sight, but I was so 
sleepy and tired that I could hardly take it all in. 
Thus ended our visit to Mysore, which I thoroughly 
enjoyed, notwithstanding the fatigue and my cold. 

November 16. 

I sit down to write to you in a distracted state of 
mind. I don't know how many times this morning I 
have said, 4 1 shalllose my temper ! ' but L. only laughs 
and says, ' When you do, let me see it ! ' and then I sit 
down and laugh. Sometimes I think if I had known 
the worry, fuss, and expense, no scenery in the world 
would have induced me to go into camp ; but the 
pleasure of being with L. all day is so delightful that, 



TROUBLES OP PREPARING FOR CAMP. 



401 



after all, I think I shall perhaps not regret it. You 
can have no idea of the preparations for a three months 
march. The first detachment has just gone off, and the 
butler has been in, all smiles, salaaming down to the 
ground, to inform me he was able to start. He was 
evidently much pleased, no doubt having taken in the 
Mem-Sahib (me) nicely, and made a good thing of it 
for himself. 

Just at the last I really had a great deal to think 
about. What with making arrangements for the camp 
and for servants left behind, beset by those going, who 
wanted an advance of wages, coats, and blankets, wives 
that wanted to go with their husbands, anxious mothers 
who preferred to stay behind with their children, but 
wanted their pay all the 'same, and 4 boys ' that had 
fever and could not find substitutes, I was ' sat upon,' 
and that too on a Monday morning, in my best frock, 
receiving visitors and friends who came to say ' Good 
bye ! ' No wonder I was distracted, and had disturbed 
slumbers, and that my temper was ruffled, — only ruffled, 
mind. 

Chennapatam, November 18. 

The clock struck four, and then it struck five, and a 
voice said, ' Time to get up.' Then somebody lighted a 
candle, it being quite dark, and coaxed somebody else 
out of bed. It was so cold, but Marie soon appeared 
with a cup of hot tea and toast, and at six o'clock we 
started. Poor old Poochao, the house-sweeper, came 
and knelt down at my feet and sobbed. She was not 
going ; she was too old ; and, as she does not speak 

D D 



402 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 

English, I was powerless to console her. The salute 
was fired as we passed out of the gates. A Silladar 
rode on before, and two others followed the carriage 
behind. As we passed through the native town, which 
was not yet astir, we saw the people lying asleep, rolled 
up in blankets in the verandahs in front of their 
shops. As we went by a temple, an old priest rushed 
out, and screamed out something that sounded like 
a curse, but was, I believe, intended for a blessing. 

We were travelling in an open carriage, and so 
cold was it that I wore my wadded velvet jacket, a 
Scotch plaid over my knees, and a velvet wideawake to 
keep my head warm, and yet I shivered, yes ! shivered 
in Southern India. As we drove along, there were 
beautiful lights from the rising sun on the wild rocks, 
and patches of highly-cultivated land, and vultures 
were sweeping and careering over the landscape in 
search of their breakfasts. The sugar-cane and rice 
crops looked most flourishing in the low wet land 
under the great tanks, which have all the appearance 
of natural lakes. Many of these have been most skil- 
fully constructed, giving proof that the natives knew 
something of engineering, long before English rule and 
public works were thought of. 

When we came in sight of a talook (village), a man 
with a long brass horn blew a not unmusical blast to 
announce our approach, and then out came a troop of 
Silladars on prancing steeds, in their picturesque 
dresses, and, joining our cavalcade, entered the village, 
where the Amildar or Magistrate at the head of the 
population awaited our arrival, with the usual compli- 



OUR CAMP. — ESCAPADE BY REX. 403 

nientary wreath, of flowers, lemons, &c. Then L. spoke 
to them, enquired about the crops, heard a few griev- 
ances, and on we went. 

As we turned into the compound at the bungalow, 
the flag was hoisted, for it always travels about with 
us, when L. goes on an official tour, and I saw our 
camp pitched close by. Our tent was a large one, 
divided down the centre by a passage which went all 
round, and having two bath-rooms, the exterior of 
white canvas, and inside yellow and black stuff. 

After breakfast, L. went out riding, to visit two 
curious tombs outside the town, the priests of which 
turned out in fine dresses, with tomtoms and two 
dancing girls, doubtful characters, all bedizened with 
finery, as is the custom when anyone of note arrives 
at a place. 

I went to bed early that night, my first in a tent. It 
did seem so strange ! Such an examination of the bed 
for fear of a snake ! At last I slept, but was awoke 
often by the horses and other noises. At four o'clock 
we heard a row, and presently a horse galloping. It 
charged right at our tent, and stove in my bath-room. 
I fully expected it to come on to my bed ! L. was up 
instanter, and it turned out to be 4 Eex,' who had 
broken loose, and was amusing himself in an undigni- 
fied and dangerous manner for his royal person. How- 
ever, no legs were broken, and the horse-boy was repri- 
manded with a great many 4 woppus lao,' whatever that 
may mean in Hindostanee. 



404 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FEIEXDS AT HOME 



Muddoor, November 19. 

Out of bed at five o'clock, dressing by candlelight in 
a tent. It was so cold, but I had provided myself with 
a flannel dressing gown, and was soon comfortable in 
my warm English cloth habit. It seemed ridiculous to 
put on the large pith hat, with its thick white turban 
of muslin. ' Fritz ' seemed astonished at being mounted 
by torchlight, arched his noble neck, and looked round 
in expectation, and was not disappointed, for I had 
saved him half my toast. Exit from the compound. 

Picture the scene, a wild road, with large banyan trees 
on either side, with their fantastic roots, and great 
branches stretching far and low. A native going on 
ahead with the eternal horn, now and again stopping 
to turn round and blow the cheerful blast. He was 
followed by two peons, one carrying L.'s gun, and then 
came our three selves, Capt. C. on a large ugly Austra- 
lian bay horse, L. on Tsar, the grey Arab, and I riding 
Fritz, the horse-boy running by my side, with his bare 
black legs, white knickerbockers, blue cloth jacket 
bound with scarlet, and scarlet turban. A little way 
behind, two mounted Silladars, whose costume I have 
already described as picturesque, more peons, and then 
the bullock-coach with Marie and Eosalie. 

I enjoyed the ride so much, but was glad, after seven 
miles of it, to get into the palankin, of which this was 
my first experience. It was a very nice one, painted 
green outside, and has sliding doors and four little win- 
dows, and a sort of shelf with little drawers on the top, 
and a tin imperial which carries a change of clothes, 
books, &c. It has nice green leather cushions, and you 



PETITIONERS . — SNAKES. 



405 



can lie down or sit up. It is carried by twelve men, 
who take it in turn, six at a time, changing every hun- 
dred yards. The disagreeables are the motion and 
peculiar singing of the bearers, rather a dismal ditty, 
but I soon got to like the one and forget the other. 

On reaching the bungalow at Muddoor, the priest 
turned out of the temple, and a man with the tomtom 
ran on in front, followed by a horn-man. Such a din ! 
but it means respect, and you salaam and are grateful. 
Some natives were waiting on the steps with a dish of 
plantains and flowers, which they did to please us, poor 
creatures, and I was sorry that I could not speak to 
them. Crowds of people came with petitions, some of 
whom lay flat on the ground when they presented them, 
whining over their misfortunes or peccadillos. This man 
has not repaired his tank, and that one has been fined 
for insubordination, and when L. declines to interfere, 
they come round to where they can see me, and gesticu- 
late until the peons come and send them off. 

In the evening I walked out with L. to a large tank 
and got on to the 4 bund of it. The ground about 
Muddoor is white with incrustations of salt ! We picked 
some pretty little flowers, but it got dark quite suddenly, 
and I was in a fright lest we should step on snakes. I 
had serious thoughts of asking L. to carry me, but, re- 
flecting that he must know better than I the habits of 
these betes noires, I became reasonable, and we got 
home safely, dined, and turned into bed early, sleeping 
soundly. 



* 



406 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



Mullawalli, November 20. 

Started by torchlight, a native running ahead of our 
horses, carrying a blazing stick, over which, from time 
to time, he poured oil out of a really elegantly formed 
brass bottle, which was so pretty that I shall try to get 
one. It was light by the time we came to the ford, and 
there was not much water in the river, in which the 
natives have large melon-beds that answer very well. 

The country through which we then passed was stony 
and barren, but the lights in the mountains were lovely. 
L. pointed out to me Cubbal Droog, where a great 
many Englishmen were imprisoned by Tippoo Sultan at 
the end of the last century. The country became less 
barren at last, and we passed a pretty little temple on 
a rock in the middle of a wood by the side of a small 
stream which we forded. I looked back to see what 
would have made a charming sketch, blue mountains, 
green foliage, reddish rocks, white temple, river in fore- 
ground, riding party winding down the descent to the 
bank, and Silladars in scarlet uniforms on grey steeds, 
altogether just such a sketch as Simpson would have 
taken. 

Soon after, we met Captain C.'s pony carriage, which 
I got into, for the sun was getting hot. ' Brandy and 
Soda ' stepped out famously, but the road was so bad 
that we must have been upset, but for the running 
horse-boys to help us out of difficulties. Just as we 
reached Mullawalli, Soda performed a very eccentric 
trick, charging down a steep bank into the middle of 
a troop of Silladars, sending their horses flying in every 
direction, and very nearly turning us over. At Mulla- 



SIVASAMOODRUM FALLS. 



407 



walli we found the tents pitched around a nice small 
bungalow, which had been most tastefully decorated 
with large plantain leaves and flowers, on which evi- 
dently great pains had been bestowed by the Amildar to 
surprise and please us. 

I passed a quiet day, and when it got cool we strolled 
along the high road, out of compassion for my fear of 
snakes. The country was well cultivated, and a very 
striking hill rose out of the valley, reminding me of 
Schloss Eltz on the Moselle. It is inhabited, I was told, 
by bears, and is very difficult to ascend on account of 
the jungle. 

Sivasamoodrum and Billukwadi, November 21. 

Started at half-past five towards the bear-hill, passing 
round its base. The country was wild and beautiful, 
with mountains in front of us, but the road so bad that 
I had continually to get out of the pony carriage and 
walk. 

At last, we reached Sivasamoodrum, a most strikingly 
picturesque place, on an island in the centre of the river 
Cavery, closed in on every side by high hills. We 
crossed the bridge built by the father of the present 
Jageerdar, an educated man, who built and furnished a 
bungalow, where he entertained all comers at his own 
expense. His son met us on the bridge, mounted on a 
white pony. He looked unhappy, having just lost his 
second wife, who died of the fever of the Cavery, which 
is malignant. 

As the place is unhealthy, L. had arranged to leave 
before sunset for Billukwadi, and as the great thing to 



408 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



be done was to see the Falls before the sun was high, 
we hurried on somewhat disheartened, for our breakfast 
basket had not turned up, nor the palankin, so I could 
not divest myself of my thick cloth riding habit, which 
was oppressively hot. 

However, having taken a dry biscuit and a cup of 
milk, we hoisted our white umbrellas and ' topees,' and 
started at once for the Falls. Shall I ever forget it ? 
First, shaken to pieces along the rough road iu the pony 
carriage, scrambling down a rocky path, with the grass 
above one's head, in fear of my life for snakes and tigers, 
embarrassed by my long, hot, and heavy habit, and at 
last the glorious view of the Falls to repay me ! Seated 
in the shade, almost on a level with the river, looking 
up at the foaming waters rushing over the rocks above, 
and falling thence a height of 250 feet ! a rainbow 
adding to the general effect. 

Scrambling up again in the full glare of the sun, but 
shaded by white umbrellas, we rested on the top of 
some big stones under trees near a temple which over- 
looks the Falls, or, lather, I should call it, the tomb of 
a Fukeer. Through the doorway we could see the 
tomb covered over with a scarlet and green cloth, em- 
broidered with gold. 

We then drove on, and descended again on foot to 
the Bhur Chookee, or lower Fall, which, to my mind, 
is by far the most striking, and here, at last, we got 
our breakfast under a big tree, with the spray in our 
faces. The spot is grand and picturesque, but there is 
a sad story connected with it, a young lady having 
fallen, or, some say, jumped over the fall, her body 



PALANKEEN DITTY. — EXTENSIVE HOSPITALITY. 409 



being never recovered, owing to the rapidity of the 
river rendering it impossible. 

After breakfast, we were obliged to leave our shady 
retreat, and were well grilled before we reached the 
main road again, where I found my palankin waiting. 
I was glad to be carried off, the bearers all the while 
chanting in their quaint way. As far as I can make 
out. what they say is — 

Grandmamma — diddle W 

Chorus. — Just so ! Just so ! 
And she is all by herself. 

Chorus. — Aye ! Aye ! 

And a rare 'on ! 

Chorus.— Ah, do ! Ah. do ! 
C harlie is a "baboo — oo — oo. 

Chorus. — Just so ! Just so ! 

All of which L. declares means ' She is as heavy as an 
elephant.' 

On reaching the deserted-looking bungalow, we found 
that great preparations had been made during our 
absence. The Jageerdar seemed to have been puzzled 
as to what English people would like to eat and drink, 
and had therefore done his best to satisfy every taste. 
On the floor were arranged bottles of pickles, cham- 
pagne, claret, liqueurs, beer, soda-water, a Bologna 
sausage, cheese, and preserves, while a bat and a rat 
disputed possession of the apartment. • The bullock- 
coaches having come up, we were able to bathe, dress, 
and take a nap. and afterwards to partake of the hos- 
pitable cheer, of which what Ave saw on the floor was 
only a small instalment, soup, a gigantic turkey, a ham, 
half a sheep, and a chicken curry appearing in due 
course on the table. We supposed that the Jageerdar 



410 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



wished to keep up his grandfather's reputation for 
hospitality. 

In the afternoon, he came to visit us, accompanied 
by two Brahmins, who did all the talking. These men 
have three painted marks on their foreheads, the centre 
being yellow and the two others white, and they shave 
their heads in front, leaving a long tail behind. They 
wear long white clothes about their persons, and have 
great influence over the natives. 

At five o'clock we started for Billukwadi, and found 
on our arrival the tents pitched and the dinner ready. 
A dense population thronged the entrance to the town, 
and of course we had from the Amildar the usual pre- 
sents of flowers and fruit. 

Bunnoor, November 24, 25. 

A swingeing long march of sixteen miles, but, the 
road being good, we were able to get on well. Fritz 
was very troublesome, being as fresh as a lark and up to 
a spree. Bunnoor is a large place, and the people came 
out to meet us with a perfect din of native music, and 
a dancing girl who had rings on her fingers and bells 
on her toes (or ankles). The tents were pitched on a 
sort of green, surrounded on all sides by ruins of ancient 
temples, with* hills in the distance. The people sent 
their offerings of fruits and flowers on the most delight- 
ful old metal plates, which I really longed to keep, as 
they were so quaint. In the evening crowds of women 
came inquisitively round my tent, and I went out with 
Eosalie and spoke to them. They said they had never 
seen an English lady before, were half shy, and kept 



NATIVE GROUPS. — A FIXE TEMPLE. 



411 



hiding their faces in their clothes. They had all coughs, 
I observed, and no wonder, when, in the coldest 
weather, they only wear a strip of muslin round their 
persons. The crowd rapidly increased, and I was 
obliged to retreat. Afterwards we walked out and 
had a look at the curious remains of the old temples, 
the carvings of which had been beautiful. There were 
portions of gilding and painting on the outside, but the 
gates were locked, and we could not get inside. 

Next day L. rode out twenty miles to Nursipoor, 
getting back to breakfast. He came back much 
pleased with his expedition, having visited at Somnath- 
poor a very fine temple built in the time of the Balal 
Eajas, who conquered this part of the country. He 
told me the carvings were most beautiful. The square 
courtyard contained fifteen cells, supported by finely- 
carved pillars, the roofs and entrances of the cells being 
exquisitely chiselled. It was only four miles from our 
camp, and I regretted having missed seeing these 
curiosities. 

All the country round Bunnoor is agricultural, but, 
as the crops are now under water, the place is un- 
healthy. 

Seringapatam, November 26. 

Such an interesting day ! As usual, we started by 
torchlight across country, a narrow path between cactus 
and aloe hedges, ten feet high at least, on either side, 
so that it was difficult steering to keep oneself and one's 
horse from being pricked. Before it was light we 
forded some streams, and skirted the margin of the 



412 



CHIT CHAT WITH FRIEKDS AT HOME. 



Bunnoor tank, when a gleam of daydawn appeared in 
the horizon. After riding some miles along the top of 
the tank embankments, we reached at last a little tem- 
ple on a hill, where my palankin was to await me, but 
there was no sign of it, and the natives declared it had 
never been through, while, to add to the emharras, 
there were two roads, and we did not know which the 
bearers might have taken. L., with a few followers, 
took one, and Captain C. and I the other. The road 
was so stony that we could hardly get along, and 
meanwhile the sun was up, so that I was right glad 
that I had put aside all thoughts of vanity, and donned 
my pith hat, a headpiece which, owing to its air cham- 
bers, gives the wearer the appearance of having water 
on the brain. After scrambling along with many inter- 
jections, such as 6 Steady there !' ' hold up, Fritz !' ' is it 
safe?' 'had I not better get off?' at last we met a 
native, who said the palankin had gone on through his 
village, so we pushed on whenever the stones would 
permit us to do so, until, joyful sight ! I saw the white 
roof of the palankin, and, a little farther on, we were 
joined by L. 

I don't think I shall ever forget crossing the Cavery 
river a little later, hoisted on the heads of a crowd of 
natives, all shouting, screaming, and gesticulating, the 
river, the costumes, the old trunk of a tree made into 
a boat, holding the peons, and dragged over by figures 
wading, while the riding party forded the stream on 
horseback. A great crowd awaited us on the other 
side with native music, but the heat was great, and we 
went on at once to our tents, which were pitched in the 



NO BREAKFAST. — SEE IXGAPATAM. 



413 



old fort. None of the carts had however arrived, and 
there was therefore no breakfast for us, but I was 
treated to, and refreshed by, a draught of milk. It 
afterwards turned out that the camp had marched 
thirty miles instead of twenty, and Marie, in her bul- 
lock-coach, did not arrive till four o'clock, but still in 
good humour, notwithstanding. In the evening, I sat 
in my easy chair on the ramparts, to witness such a 
grand sunset ! quite pink, and reflected in the river, a 
sort of Turner gone quite mad ! 

Seringapatam, November 27. 

We were lazy to-day, and did not sally forth from 
our tents before six. It had been arranged that we 
were to see Seringapatam on an elephant, and one of 
the Eaja's had been sent out from Mysore, but we 
found it had only a native howdah. I scrambled up 
by means of a ladder into it, but we found it very un- 
comfortable, as we were obliged to sit cross-legged in 
it, so we got out and drove in the Eaja's carriage, 
which had been sent to bring us into Mysore. 

The fort is still a very strong place, although very 
ruinous in parts. A native population lives within the 
walls, and the mosque in the enclosure is really strik- 
ingly beautiful, but we had not time to go inside and 
ascend the minarets, from which L. said there was a 
grand view, as the sun, our formidable enemy, would 
not allow of our seeing everything, and we there- 
fore gave up the proposed visit to the mosque and 
temple. 

The tombs are about a mile and a half from the 



414 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FKIEXDS AT HOME. 



fort. As soon as we reached the gate, we were greeted 
by a burst of native music from a room above the 
gateway, a horrid din. What can I liken it to? a 
band tuning up ? a drummer gone mad ? and a clash- 
ing and clanging of pots and pans, always fortissimo, 
with no piano ? The priests (Mahomedans) and their 
attendants were waiting for us at the gate with a State 
umbrella, and two curious symbols. A long avenue of 
cypresses, with trim flower-beds neatly kept, led up to 
the tomb, and I had no idea that I was going to see 
anything so striking. 

On a raised terrace at the end of the avenue stands 
the tomb, with an arcade all round it, and a mosque on 
the right-hand side. The base of the building is sup- 
ported by polished black marble columns, which are 
very handsome, all the rest being pure white, and 
adorned with fine carvings. The doors are of ebony, 
inlaid with ivory, and at the principal entrance hangs 
a scarlet curtain embroidered with gold. Inside, in 
the ground, are the three tombs of Hyder Ali, his wife, 
and Tippoo Sultan, the greatest enemy we ever had in 
India. Each tomb was covered by a splendid Cash- 
mere shawl, embroidered with gold, all of different 
patterns. Peacocks' feathers, and other insignia of 
royalty, lay about on the floor, and incense burnt in a 
niche, the people still venerating the memory of Tippoo, 
and calling him ' The martyr,' although he was one of 
the greatest tyrants that ever lived. We did not go 
into the mosque, as it is not popular to do so. 

In the vicinity of the building are other tombs, all 
nicely kept, and one kind of grave struck me as a 



ENGLISH GRAVES. — NATIVE STATUES. 



415 



pretty idea. It was a flat stone, raised, the centre 
being hollow, and filled in with earth and flowers. 

The graves of the English officers close by are a sad 
contrast to all the pagan magnificence, the ground 
being overgrown, not a sign of Christianity, and the 
names on the ugly flat monuments in nearly every case 
obliterated. 

L. carried away a rose from the garden, and sent it 
to Prince Gholam Mahomed at Calcutta, who is per- 
sonally known to him. 

Near Seringapatam, on the road to the tombs, is the 
village of Ganjam, in which are twenty Catholic fami- 
lies, all people of high caste, who have built themselves 
a neat little church, which we visited on our way to 
the Duria Doulut. We found the little congregation 
all assembled, and the church very tastefully decorated 
with ropes of flowers. The statues, made by natives, 
were somewhat remarkable, and would no doubt be 
pronounced by some as uncommonly like idols, but I 
dare say the people appreciate their own ideas of the 
beautiful, more than anything we could produce in ac- 
cordance with our notions. 

After saying a little prayer in the church, which is 
only visited from time to time by a casual priest, we 
drove on to the Duria Doulut, or garden palace of 
Tippoo Sultan, which was occupied by the Duke of 
Wellington for some time after the siege. Government 
lately gave an order for its restoration, and 5,000/. were 
spent in renewing the decorations, and it is, in its way, 
quite beautiful. The exterior walls are covered with 
the most curious frescoes, representing the triumphs of 



416 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



Tippoo over the English. Everywhere he is repre- 
sented as complacently smelling a rose, either on horse- 
back, in a palankin, or mounted on an elephant, in the 
midst of the most dreadful carnage, in which of course 
the English are shown as getting the worst of it. The 
perspective is amusing, and legs, arms, and heads are 
flying off in every direction, but, on careful inspection, 
the corresponding bodies will be found somewhere. 
The building is two storeys high, and, inside, the walls 
are covered with richly-painted arabesques, something 
in the style of the Alhambra at the Crystal Palace, only 
far more beautiful, and on a larger scale. 

We breakfasted in the centre chamber of the second 
storey, although it seemed almost out of keeping with 
the spot to do anything so commonplace, the atmo- 
sphere and surroundings of the whole thing making me 
feel like an Eastern princess in a fairy tale. After 
breakfast we decided on remaining till the afternoon, 
so the Brahmins and merchants of Seringapatam came 
here to see L., who went into the verandah, and, 
seated in an armchair, listened to all they had to say, 
whilst they sat cross-legged, without their turbans, in 
front of him. Such a curious scene ! I was a spectator 
from a balcony above. Afterwards, as it became hotter, 
I grew sleepy and dozed off on a sofa, my eyes dazzled 
by gilded walls, and my 'ears refreshed by the splashing 
of a fountain in the garden, the singing of many birds, 
with a pen-scratching accompaniment, for there were 
L. and Captain C. hard at work, while a delicious 
breeze laden with the perfume of roses, wafted through 
the chamber. What a strange incident in my life ! I 



ARRIVE AT MYSORE. — GO TO SEE THE QUEENS. 417 

thought, and then — sleep overcame me, and I hope I 
did not snore. 

At four we started for Mysore. I hardly recognised 
the Eesidency, as all had been brushed up and made so 
pretty by the good taste of Major and Mrs. C. In the 
evening there was a dinner-party, and imagine Marie's 
distress of mind, when she unpacked my box, and 
found she had left behind my chignon, wig-puffs, and 
all my white gloves. However, she contrived to do up 
my head, and, entre nous, I carried a pair of colored 
gloves turned inside out in my hand. 

Mysore, November 28. 

To-day we received an invitation from the Eanees to 
visit them at twelve o'clock, so I asked Mrs. C. and the 
other ladies to go with me. We went in state, the 
gentlemen in uniform, and we drove at a foot's pace, 
with the men bearing silver lances, and a troop of 
Silladars. As we drove into the courtyard, the band 
struck up ' God save the Queen.' Deva Parthiva, the 
old Eaja's favourite grandson, came down to receive 
us, and handed me upstairs to the Eanees' apartments, 
where, on one side of the curtain, we found the little 
Eaja sitting cross-legged on a chair. We salaamed, 
and shook hands, I thought he looked much thinner, 
and he seemed nervous. 

The queens then requested us to go behind the 
curtain, which we accordingly did. I was not, how- 
ever, received with the same cordiality as on my former 
visit, none of the queens rising, though they gave their 

E E 



418 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



hands. Fatima was sulky, saying that many of the 
servants had been dismissed, and begged Mr. B. would 
allow them all to be taken on again. Then she said 
to me, 'Ladies understand these things better than 
gentlemen.' She constantly cast her eyes up to the 
ceiling. I told her the crops in Mysore were very fine, 
whilst in other parts of India famine was expected, but 
nothing seemed to interest her. 

The old Eanee sent for the little boy, and put him 
on my knee. We had a little chat, he saying, 4 Good 
morning,' in very good English, adding that he remem- 
bered seeing me before, and then he presented me with 
flowers and betel-nut. I saw his sister for the first 
time, such a pretty child ! two years older than himself. 
I told the Eanees that they ought to have their 
photographs taken ; but Fatima shook her head, and 
said that, as no men ought to look at their faces, it was 
impossible. We then salaamed and retired, and the 
little Eaja handed me out, a servant walking backwards 
before him, and singing his praises, salaaming as he did so. 

As we returned to the Eesidency, there was a great 
crowd in the streets, and one man rushed after the 
carriage with a petition, looking very excited ; but, on 
the whole, the people seemed quiet and contented, and 
are so, notwithstanding all the reductions that have 
been made in the late Eaja's enormous establishments, 
so judiciously has all been managed. 

Mysore, November 29. 

We went to mass in the little Catholic chapel, the 
congregation being almost entirely native, and those 



ELEPHANT RIDING. 



419 



whom I could see were very devout. The priest 
preached in Tamil very fluently. The natives recite 
litanies in a peculiar sing-song tone during the mass, 
which is rather distracting, and when they do sing, 
they shout in a most deafening manner. 

Mysore, November 30. 

Drove with Mrs. C. to the summer palace, which 
contains such a funny collection of valuable things, 
mixed up with rubbish, pictures, clocks, toys, plaster 
carts, beautiful Chinese lanterns, and Dresden glass. 

Three elephants were in attendance, and Mrs. C. and 
myself, with Captain C, climbed up into the State 
howdah on the back of the largest elephant, which is 
over 9 feet high. We found it a very uncomfortable 
seat, the great creature swaying about as he walked, 
and nearly shaking us all out. However, we held on 
for dear life, and after many perils from branches, 
horses, and bullocks, not to mention a certain feeling of 
land-sickness from which we suffered, reached home 
safely. The trappings were magnificent, the seat of 
silver, the cloth scarlet, embroidered with gold, and he 
salaamed with his trunk in the air like a real gentle- 
man. But he swore dreadfully at having to kneel 
down, and rose up once because the attendants had 
forgotten to place cushions under his legs, and he found 
the gravel walk hard for his royal knees. 

We received visitors and played croquet in the even- 
ing, and went to bed as soon as we could, as we had 
to start early the next morning. Our camp had gone 
on straight from Seringapatam to Hoonsoor, our next 



420 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIEKDS AT HOME. 



halt, as it was a short cut by nine miles, a considera- 
tion for a number of people who have to march with 
baggage. Our camp consists of about 200 persons, 
which is considered moderate. L. always dispenses 
with everything that is not necessary, it being unpopu- 
lar to march an army of people through the country, 
as they eat up all the supplies. Lord Canning's camp, 
with that of the Commander-in-Chief, used to muster 
15,000 souls, so, in comparison, we travel in a very 
small way. 

Hoonsoor, December 1. 

We left Mysore in one of the Eaja's comfortable 
carriages, a salute being fired on our departure. At 
the end of three miles, we passed the racecourse, with 
its two grand stands, the scene of much merry-making 
in the old Eaja's lifetime on the occasion of his birth- 
day, when the races annually took place. We stopped 
for a few minutes at Yelwall, nine miles from Mysore, 
one of the Government houses, standing on high 
ground in a well-wooded park, in which are deer and 
wilder animals, at least such is the on dit. 

We posted on through a very barren district, with 
here and there a small village, and, where water was 
to be had, a patch of cultivation. At ten o'clock we 
reached Hoonsoor, the tents being pitched round a 
comfortable bungalow. Tents are so hot in the middle 
of the day, that I always rejoice in a bungalow, but L. 
and Captain C. prefer grilling. 

At four, all the villagers came, and, as many as could 
find room, went into the tents, and sat down on the 



SANDALWOOD. — ARRIVE IN COORG. 421 



ground before L., telling him all their grievances, pre- 
senting petitions, &c. 

Hoonsoor was formerly a place of some note, being 
a depot of the Madras Government, and having large 
manufactories of military accoutrements, which em- 
ployed many persons, but were given up as being ex- 
pensive. It seems almost a pity, as they induced the 
people to learn, and they were taught many useful 
trades. Hoonsoor is also a great place for sandal- wood, 
and we went to see the depot. On turning the corner 
of the street, we at once smelt the perfume of the 
wood, which was positively overpowering in the stores. 
The wood is not carved or made up here, but is almost 
all exported to China. . . . 

Fraserpett, December 3. 

As it became light, I perceived a great difference in 
the aspect of the country, and we had evidently got into 
a moister atmosphere. We passed through a real jungle, 
which I thought very picturesque ; but having got, as 
usual, half-way, into my palankin, I had, to my disgrace, a 
sound nap. A summons to admire the view of Fraser- 
pett awoke me, and it was really beautiful. On the 
bridge over the Cavery, we were met by the inhabi- 
tants, and, after taking in a supply of oranges, lemons, 

and flowers, were allowed to proceed to Captain 's 

house, which he had placed at our disposal. I now 
noticed a change in the dwelling houses, which were more 
substantial, and had thickly thatched roofs. Captain 

's was quite a cottage orne — perhaps orne is not 

the right term, for it looked greatly neglected, and all 
he nice furniture spoiled. 



422 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 

I had a long sleep in the afternoon, and awoke to 
find my ' Darby ' gone out, so poor little Joan set out 
to find him, and walked about a mile along a very 
dusty high road, meeting a herd of 200 buffaloes who, 
like their drivers, stared with amazement at me. 
When the cloud they had raised cleared away, a vision 
of delight appeared in the person of Darby, followed 
by as numerous a human herd, and, oh ! the ingrati- 
tude and blindness of men ! Darby actually enquired 
why Joan was so silly (that was the phrase) as to choose 
a dusty high road for her evening walk, when there 
were lanes equalling in beauty those of far-famed 
Devonshire to roam in. Joan could not reply at once, 
her utterance being choked — with dust ! 

Santecoopa, December 4. 

As soon as it was light, we found ourselves in a dense 
jungle, with no view out of it. The variety of foliage, 
however, and the wondrous growth of the trees were a 
novelty. Every moment I longed to stop the bearers to 
pick a new fern, or an inviting cluster of roses, or a 
spray of some lovely creeper. One, a white convul- 
vulus, with crimson centre, had found its way to the 
topmost branches of large trees, and hung down in 
graceful masses, a perfect shower of flowers. The air 
was quite perfumed with the scent of the various blos- 
soms. Up we went, through the wood, higher and 
higher, and were joined by the Soobadar of the Mer- 
cara Talook, and a number of Coorgs in their pic- 
turesque costume, with drums and horns. They 
marched on in front of us, singing a quaint strain, and, 



DELIGHTFUL VIEW. — COOKG ORCHESTRA. 423 



now and then, blowing loud blasts of welcome on their 
horns till we reached Santecoopa. 

We found the bungalow prettily placed on some 
rising ground, and the tents pitched under some large 
trees, and then, towards Mercara, such a view ! the 
Abial peak, the coffee plantations, and the dense jungle 
beneath! I was enchanted, felt quite inspired, and 
tried to perpetrate a water-color sketch! It was 
rather like the crow's attempt to sing, and about as 
successful, but the motive was more praiseworthy. 

Mercara, December 5, 6, 7. 

Started in the palankin, L. mounted on Eex, up ! 
up ! through the wood, till we began to see over the 
tops of the trees, down into the vallies beneath, with 
peeps of distant hills. Half-way up the ghat, we were 
met by Captain and Mrs. C, who had very kindly 
driven down to meet us, he thinking that I should see 
the country better in an open carriage. We were 
joined by more Coorgs, and an orchestra of horns, 
drums, and fifes, in the midst of which we left L., and 
drove on ahead, the road being dangerous, lest the 
horses should take fright at the noise. 

The road and scenery are very like a Swiss pass. 
Before reaching Mercara, we got out to see a cinchona 
plantation, which did not seem flourishing. 

As I am not clever enough to depict Mercara in 
water-colors, I must try to describe it by my pen. It 
was a cold fresh morning, with a sharp feeling in the 
air, the clouds just rolling off the highest peaks of the 
distant mountains, which looked very blue, while the 



424 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



near hills were intensely green with coffee plantations. 
The coffee tree is a bunchy green shrub, with scarlet 
berries, and a blossom so white, that Captain C. says 
that, at the flowering season, the country looks as if 
covered with snow. There were deep jungly vallies 
between us and the mountains far away, and, on the 
height on which we stood, a fort, a palace, eastern 
tombs, a thatched town snug in a hollow, and sundry 
villas dotted here and there in cosy places. There was 
a foreground of Coorgs in white or blue coats, scarlet 
scarfs round the waist, silver daggers and chains, and a 
large knife fastened in a belt on their backs, and used 
to force their way through the jungles. They were 
fine tall fellows, with olive complexions. Captain C. 
introduced me to the leading officials, who presented 
fruits and flowers, and then we drove on to Captain 
T.'s house, which is romantically situated, looking 
down into a deep valley with the Mangalore and Can- 
nanore ghat-roads winding beneath, the grand Brah- 
magiri range to the south, and Swami Betta and 
Tadiandamol to the west. We dined with Captain and 
Mrs. C, and I had my first drive in a bullock-coach, 
escorted by not less than twenty torches, enough to set 
all Mercara on fire, the sparks flying about in the wind 
in every direction ; indeed, we heard next day that 
there had been a fire in the soldiers' fines, originated, 
some people said, by our torches. 

Next day, all the Coorgs came up in a body, headed 
by the head Serishtadar, a fine-looking old fellow, and 
they sat down on the floor of a long glazed verandah 
in front of the house, and had a discussion with L. 
about their affairs. 



TOMBS OF THE KINGS COORG RELIGION. 425 



In the afternoon Captain and Mrs. C. took us in 
their carriage to the tombs of the Eajas of Coorg, 
handsome buildings with gilt minarets. It is note- 
worthy that, inside, the stones above the graves of 
Dodda Virrajendra and Lingarajendra and their two 
wives are in the shape of a cross. The tombs were 
covered with flowers, a light was burning, and an 
attendant came out to present us with fruit. We did 
not go inside, but looked through the door. Some of 
the carvings about the buildings are very rich. The 
two tombs are exactly alike, a third building being a 
sort of sanctuary, in which the god Shiva is supposed 
to reside. 

The Coorgs themselves do not believe in Shiva, and 
have no temples, but have a great respect for the god 
Pan, and the goddess of the Cavery river. They are 
very superstitious, and believe in wood demons, spirits, 
&c, and, except at certain seasons of the year, will 
not enter parts of the forest. Amongst the upper 
classes there are no conversions to Christianity, and 
although the children attend the Government 
schools, the slightest interference in religious matters 
would be resented at once, so in all the schools it is 
forbidden. 

The Catholic missionaries have a school, not under 
Government, and after school-hours they give religious 
instruction to those who like to remain, but only the 
low castes ever venture to do so. It seems a sad state 
of things. We can educate them as much as we like, 
and many of the higher officials are clever and refined 
in manners, but we cannot convert them. 

On the 7th I saw all over the fort, and went into 



426 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



the rooms formerly occupied by Mr. K. when he was 
Superintendent. All the Coorgs ask after him with 
respect and affection, for they say they never had such 
a Superintendent. Troops now occupy the palace. 
Horrible stories are told of the cruelty of the last of 
the Coorg Eajas, a man who ended his days in Eng- 
land. It is said that he used to sit in a bow-window 
in the palace, and make people run across from the 
entrance to a stone elephant in the courtyard while he 
shot at them ! In this way he killed all his relations 
but one sister, who escaped, and is still living. Certainly 
the Coorgs are much happier under our rule, and they 
are very loyal. ^ 

I expressed a wish to see some Coorg ladies, so one 
of the head men brought his wife and cousin to see 
me. They came thickly veiled, but uncovered their 
faces when in the drawing-room. They were fine 
young women, with large eyes, and were not very 
dark. Their hair was worn en chignon^ only they had 
splendid gold ornaments on it, and bunches of white 
flowers. They wore white jackets with short sleeves, 
embroidered with red cotton, white muslin skirts, em- 
broidered with a narrow gold lace, and very short. 
Their legs and feet were bare, and round their ankles 
they had massive silver bands, from which hung a 
number of little bells, with a silver chain from the 
band to each toe, held on a number of rings. Their 
arms were covered with bracelets, and round their 
necks hung a number of gold chains with jewel orna- 
ments. L. was allowed to be present, but they were 
very shy. They showed me some work, a sort of fine 



COORG DANCES. 



427 



embroidery, which they were doing, and with which 
they ornament their husbands' clothes. They also 
brought with them all their ornaments, and I showed 
them my Eoman necklace, which is not very unlike 
what they wear, and it amused them. 

In the afternoon, in honor of our visit, all the 
Coorgs assembled, to the number of 400 and upwards, 
and had a national dance in front of the old palace in 
the fort. We drove at a foot's pace, for the crowd 
round the carriage was so great that it was impossible 
to go quicker. They went, dancing and singing, in 
front of us all the way up to the fort, with drums and 
horns and war shouts. Such a row ! I thought every 
moment the horses would take fright, and be off. All 
the English had assembled at the front windows of the 
palace, but we remained below in the courtyard, where 
we had a better view, and of course it pleased the people 
to see us among them. 

About 200 Coorgs formed into a circle. The first 
figure of the dance was called Balakata, and was a slow 
movement, the men all dancing round, singing, and 
waving about gracefully chowrees (long whisks of hair 
like horses' tails), with an accompaniment of drums. 
This was followed by the second figure, called Kolhata, 
or stick dance, in which each man was provided with 
a couple of sticks, just like those used at 4 La Grace/ 
They all moved round as before, beginning slowly, 
with a sort of prancing step, which got quicker and 
quicker. They kept tapping their neighbours' sticks 
in time, getting more and more excited, and hitting 
harder, as if they were going to have a fight, but at a 



428 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FKJEjNTDS AT HOME. 



given signal they all instantly stopped. The third 
figure consisted of a single combat. One man leaped 
into the circle with a war-whoop, armed with a long 
switch and a metal shield, challenging the ring. Then 
out sprang another, and away both danced. At last 
they rushed together, hitting as hard as they could. 
The laws of the game do not allow hitting above the 
knees, although some, in their excitement, certainly 
transgressed. The ankles, however, suffered most, and 
must have smarted terribly after an encounter. When 
one of the combatants gave in, the other embraced 
him, to show there was no ill-will. At the end of the 
third figure, the assembly had a grand flourish, dancing 
about, and leaping vigorously into the air. The enter- 
tainment was brought to a close by wrestling for cocoa- 
nuts, the victors coming forward and breaking them 
open before us. 

They then formed into a long line, through which 
we passed to the carriage. Nothing could have been 
more orderly than the whole proceeding, nor more 
respectful than the manner of the people as they fol- 
lowed the carriage out of the fort and up the road. 
L. stopped and made them a little speech, after which 
they dispersed. Hundreds of people had assembled to 
witness the dance, and I shall never forget the scene* 
The old fort, the picturesque crowd, the fine men in 
their striking costume, and the graceful manner in 
which they danced. L. says it is quite unique, and 
that there is nothing like it in any other part of India. 

Good night, and good-bye to Mercara ! We were 
not sorry to leave for one reason. The cold was 



PICTURESQUE ENCAMPING GROUND. 



429 



making itself felt. Many of the camp were down with 
fever, and most of our servants had been drinking to 
keep out the cold, fighting being the result. 

Jumboor Bane*, December 8. 

What a cold morning it was! How the wind 
howled as I dressed by candlelight, and put on every 
wrap I could find ! Captain C. drove me half-way, 
over such a road, twisting about, with frightful preci- 
pices and glorious views. I shall not soon forget the 
sensations of that drive. We passed great coffee plan- 
tations, and at last reached a valley and a river where 
we said good-bye to Captain C. I was carried across 
the river in my palankin, and then through a dense 
jungle wood, till I reached Jumboor Bane. The en- 
camping ground was very picturesque, just like a park, 
with a fine view of lofty hills. A tiger had been in 
possession, I was told, when the tents came up in the 
early morning, but had disappeared in the jungle. 

'Us 

Somawarpett, December 9. 

Left Jumboor by a very steep descent, the road 
lying through a dense jungle, where it was impossible 
to get any view, but the wild luxuriance of the vegeta- 
tion, and the number and variety of the birds, made 
the ride very interesting. We encamped on some high 
ground, commanding a splendid view. The town is 
very clean, and the houses look more substantial and 
larger than most native habitations. We walked 
through the place in the evening, to the amusement of 
the population. 



430 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIEISDS AT HOME. 



Saniwarsante*, December 10. 

About three miles from Somawarpett we came to a 
bridge, in the centre of which the natives had erected 
a very tasteful little arch of flowers, and, on the other 
side, we found quite a crowd awaiting us with State 
umbrellas, horns, tomtoms, lances, &c, a regular turn- 
out. They wanted to adorn Fritz with a wreath of 
flowers, but he decidedly objected to the delicate at- 
tention. Tsar, however, quite approved, and stood 
quietly while he was beautified. In England people 
send their carriages to walk in procession, but in this 
part of India it is the custom to send your umbrellas, 
though only certain persons are privileged to use them. 
These are called Potails ; of whom there are seventeen 
in this district, one of them having a right to have two 
lighted torches carried before him as a mark of prece- 
dence. No less than nine umbrellas, and the torches, 
were in attendance to do us honour. The umbrellas 
are of crimson silk, with gold fringes, or are red and 
white, of a large size. English horses would be terri- 
fied at them and the tomtoms, but Arabs do not seem 
to object to the display which accompanied us to the 
end of the march. As it is meant as a compliment, 
one cannot dismiss the people, but it is very tiresome, 
as one must go at a foot's pace, and the noise, after a 
time, becomes wearisome. 

During the march we got off our horses, and climbed 
to the top of the Moree Betta, to see some curious 
structures, very like our European cromlechs. There 
are no less than fifty of these odd buildings at the top 
of the hill. The natives say that anchorites dwelt in 



OLD CAIENS. — TRY TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE. 431 

them, but L. doubts this, as there are no signs of smoke 
on the roofs ; but, if they were burial-places, it is strange 
that no skeletons, or jars containing ashes, have been 
found in them. Only a few pots, of a form not now 
in use, were found, with some rusty implements. Some 
of the pots we have in our house at Bangalore, the rest 
being in the Museum. 

Sukrawarsante, December 11. 

I decided on using the bullock-coach, and started 
most comfortably, but the bullocks were quite wild, 
and, after the most erratic movements, finally bolted 
into a ditch, where we stuck fast ! I begged by 
signs to be left where I was, and when Marie came 
up in our own bullock-coach I got in with her, and 
jolted on safely to Kodlipett. Here I found the 
people had turned out, so I put my head out of the 
window, salaamed, and received a donation of fruit 
and sticky sugar-candy. Making an interpreter of one 
of my servants, I thanked the people, telling them how 
much I admired their country, and hoping they would 
have fine crops, to which they replied that they were 
very glad to see me. I noticed that the women and chil- 
dren were very pretty, the young ones being quite fair, 
but their clothing was scanty up to the age of seven or 
so, a few silver ornaments round the neck and waist 
being considered sufficient. 

Soon after leaving Kodlipett, I got into the palankin 
for the rest of the march, and went fast asleep, slumber- 
ing till we reached Sookrawarsante, where the tents 
were pitched on the side of a hill, with a very pretty 



432 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



view. Captain C. had an adventure with a tiger the last 
time he was here, but it made its escape from the party 
of gentlemen who had turned out to kill it. 

Saklaspoor, December 12, 13. 

A very pretty march, chiefly over downs, along a 
woody winding lane, like those of Devonshire. I rode 
Fritz, wrapped in my Chuddur shawl till we reached 
Oogahalli, where a Mr. L. has a house and a large 
coffee plantation, from which there is a superb view 
over Manjerebad. We remained a few minutes in ad- 
miration, and a mile farther on passed the fort of Man- 
jerebad, built by Tippoo, who called the country 8 The 
Misty,' from its being shrouded in mist during his visit. 
The fort is perched on the top of a precipitous rocky 
hill, and, as a matter of course, L. went scrambling up 
to the top. I completed my journey, and found a very 
comfortable bungalow, and signs of civilisation. 

We halted here for Sunday, General — — and his son, 
who have taken to coffee planting, came in from some 
distance to lunch. He is called ' The Harmonious Black- 
smith,' because he can play a sonata, and shoe a horse. 
He was very chatty. In the afternoon, a man brought 
me a wild leopard cat, which he called a young tiger. 
I made a present of it to Marie, who tied it up to the 
door of the tent. 

Belgode, December 14. 

Awoke this morning with the dripping of the dew 
from our tent, the fog being white and dense. How- 
ever, off we started, I well wrapped up, with my shawl 



AN UNRULY STEED. — VIEW AT BE LOOK. 433 

over my head, and just rny eyes peeping out. The 
bridge over the Hemawati not being completed, we 
had to ford it, but the mist was so thick that we could 
not see the other side, and the stream was so deep in 
the middle that it was up to the horses' girths. Fritz 
and Tsar went very steadily through, but Eex did not 
like his cold bath, I suppose, for he began to dance 
about and plunge in a disorderly manner, so Captain C, 
who was riding him, went ahead and soon disappeared 
in the mist. On our reaching Belgode, he had not ar- 
rived, which made us anxious, but we found he had 
paid a visit to a planter friend, and he joined us at 
breakfast. 

The ride was charming, through lovely woods, and 
our t tent was pitched under a giant tree. In the even- 
ing we walked out to the jungle, but, coming upon a 
human skull in the wood, I felt quite disconcerted, and 
we turned back to the tents. The owls and bats made 
a great noise in the tree all night, and kept sweeping 
down upon the tent. 

Beloor, December 15. 

At Lukhoonda the road, after passing through woods, 
opened out. The rice fields are here cultivated in ter- 
races on the sides of the hills under tanks, and at cer- 
tain seasons are kept under water. My bearers had 
made a short cut, which proved a longer way, and L. 
having sent back a man on horseback to know why I 
was so long in coming, my bearers began running, and 
I was nearly shaken into a mummy. 

I shall never forget the view on entering Beloor. It 

F F 



434 CHIT-CHAT WITH FEIENDS AT HOME. 



was most lovely. Green rice-crops, sloping down to 
the edge of the tank, a fine sheet of blue water, sur- 
rounded by large trees, above which appeared the grey 
walls of the fortress, and the white dome and towers of 
the famous temple — beyond, the Bababoodun mountains 
looking purple and blue ; in the foreground, the proces- 
sion come out to greet us, the people in white dresses, 
scarlet turbans, and scarlet uniforms ; a camel, with 
blue trappings and a big drum on his back ; and a 
crowd, one mass of gay color, moving along the road, 
while women, in their bright .clothes, were descending 
the stone steps of the tank, with large brass vessels on 
their heads. It was, altogether, as beautiful a sight as 
anything I have seen. . 

Arrived at the bungalow, we found Captain H.,the dis- 
trict officer, and his wife, encamped close by. After 
breakfast she spent the day with me. I found her 
very agreeable, and she had two lovely children with 
her. 

In the cool of the evening, we walked to the temple. 
All the natives turned out to stare, and the road was 
lined with spectators as soon as we entered the fort. 
The temple is really very striking, and the carving as 
wonderful in its way as anything in Europe, only, in- 
stead of saints and angels, you have elephants, war- 
chariots, monkey-faced gods, and hideous monsters. 
Certainly, there is something very degrading in Pagan 
art. One of the idols, a huge lion, was visible in a 
large shed on one side of the building. We were not 
allowed to go inside, and, in fact, the doors were locked. 
The temple is said to be 700 years old. 



HALIBEDE TEMPLE. 



435 



Halibede, December 16. 

We passed through a long range of hills covered with 
jungle, and said to be infested by tigers, but without 
seeing the whisk of the tail of one even. I suppose 
we were too large a party, as we heard that a man was 
killed a little while ago by one on the road, while try- 
ing to defend his bullocks. 

We found our tents pitched under some fine trees 
close to the temple, which we went to see after break- 
fast. We carefully examined the carvings, which are 
considered finer than those at Beloor, though in the 
same style. The side chapels contain two gigantic bulls, 
which are held sacred. There is a fine lake close under 
the walls of the temple, and the view across it to the 
hills beyond is very picturesque. There was a fierce 
sun and a cold wind, and we were not sorry to regain 
our tents. 

Halibede was formerly, no doubt, a very extensive 
place, but now it has a neglected poverty-stricken ap- 
pearance. It is probable that much of the destruction 
was caused hundreds of years ago by the Musalmans, 
who sacked the place, and were it not for the grand old 
temple, nothing would indicate its having been the 
abode of the powerful Eajas who ruled over the west 
and south of Mysore. In the evening, we walked to 
the ancient Jain temples, some way from the town, 
supposed to be 700 years old. The exterior carvings 
are not so fine as those of the Hindoo temples, but they 
are more striking, and we were allowed to peep in. 
Lamps were burning before a great statue carved in 
black stone. There was much dignity in the figure, 

F F 2 



438 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 

which, was as high as the temple itself. Having visited 
two of these curious buildings, we walked to the third, 
• but the people said that a leopard had taken up his 
abode in it, so we only walked round it, and got our 
legs well pricked by the spear grass, a really painful 
infliction. 

Benkipoor, December 22, 

A very pretty ride to-day, over an excellent road, so 
we went fast. Our route lay through jungle, but we 
did not see even a wild antelope, L. thinking that the 
scarlet uniforms of the Silladars who accompanied us 
frightened everything out of sight. 

The bungalow is close to the Bhudra, which is a fine 
river, as wide as the Thames at Eichmond, and spanned 
by a handsome stone bridge. As it was still cool, and 
the rushing of the clear waters over the rocks gave a 
refreshing sound, I strolled down to the bed of the 
river, and seeing how lovely was the view of the Baba 
Boodun hills, looked about for a snug corner to sketch 
from, when the voice of the butler above informed me 
there were plenty of alligators in the river. I did 
make a sketch, but from the safer ground near the 
bungalow, not desiring an encounter with a crocodile. 
In the evening, we walked to the bridge, from which 
we had a most enchanting view of the sunset, and I 
felt quite savage with myself for my inability to do 
justice to its glories on paper. 



A CHRISTMAS GATHERING. 



437 



Shimoga, December 23-27. 

Away early, by torchlight, in such a thick mist that 
we could see nothing of the country. We passed a 
temple on the road, and the people rushed out with 
fruits, and threw flowers into the carriage. On reach- 
ing Shimoga, we found that great preparations had been 
made, two arches of evergreens having been erected on 
the long bridge over the Toonga river, and the regiment 
of Silladars was drawn up a mile from the town, so 
that it was quite a gay sight. 

L. rode on with Major H. and Mr. C. at a foot's pace, 
so I passed them in the carriage, and went on to the 
former's house, a fine large one, about a mile and a half 
from the town, having a glorious view of the Baba 
Boodun hills and the Kulus Peak. As the mist cleared 
away, it was like the rising of a curtain at a play, and 
as I had no idea there was any view from the house, 
it was a most agreeable surprise. 

We had a very pleasant visit. Major H. is a very 
clever man, and his wife is charming. She married 
at eighteen, and has four children, of whom two are 
in England. She has one lovely little girl called 
Chickie. C. is a great sportsman. On Saturday he 
heard of a bear, and went after it, promising to bring 
it in to show the children, who were all assembled for 
a Christmas party, and before evening he returned with 
two baby bears, having killed their mother, which was 
brought in next morning. He has killed thirty-five 
tigers, and fifty bears, not to mention other game, so I 
think he is a public benefactor. Mrs. C. used to be in 
a perpetual state of alarm, but now, she says, she is 



438 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 

hardened to it. He is going this evening to a wood 
near here, where a tiger has been killing cattle, and a 
bullock has been tied up to a tree, as a bait, poor 
beast ! 

I drove with Mrs. H. to the shop of the place, and 
we bought up everything in the shape of a toy to be 
had ; but there were nothing but penny toys, which they 
sold for two shillings. However, we got enough to fill 
a bran pie for Chickie's party. 

On Christmas Day, we went to seven o'clock mass, 
the congregation, numbering 500, being purely native. 
The chapel is small, in the form of a cross, but the 
scene was very edifying. The men of high caste knelt 
on the right, the women on the left. The dress of the 
latter, which, I am told, was introduced by St. Francis 
Xavier, was very neat, a fine white cloth, sometimes 
edged with lace over the head, and tied in at the waist, 
descending to the feet, rather like a shroud. They 
spread a colored handkerchief on the ground to kneel 
on, and kept the face concealed, all but the eyes. This 
costume is only worn in church. One or two of the 
children were remarkably pretty, and covered with 
ornaments. The low castes knelt behind us in the 
centre of the church. The men took off their turbans, 
and have their heads shaved, except a long tuft of hair 
on the back of the head. Some of them were very fine 
looking men, and not very dark. They chant out the 
prayers all during mass, except at the Elevation, when 
a little band struck up the only tune it thought it could 
play, and which nearly upset my gravity. It was 6 God 



THE FAIR SEX AT AN OUT-STATION. 439 

save the Queen.' The ' Adeste Fideles ' was also sung, 
but it was not much like the beautiful melody we used 
to hear in Farm Street. We received Holy Com- 
munion, and I thought of all in England, as, I have no 
doubt, you all thought of us a little later. 

Of course all the station dined in their best attire at 
Major H.'s that evening. Mrs. H. looked very pretty 
in a black net dress, embroidered with white floss, very 
distinguee, with scarlet flowers. Mrs. B. wore her 
violet satin, her boddice adorned with a jet neck- 
lace, which Mr. B., who has a taste of his own, 
considered too like mourning for a time of rejoicing, 
though he told her confidentially that he admired her 
toilette very much. Another lady wore a blue silk, 
trimmed with an Isle-of- Wight-lace tunic and a gold 
tiara, and a fourth appeared in her wedding dress of 
plain white silk, with fair hair and blushes for personal 
ornaments. Mrs. , bored at finding herself com- 
pelled to live in Shimoga, did not trouble herself to 
dress her fair locks, but appeared as she rose from her 
couch, rough as a terrier dog. Being at heart a 
dear little woman, she cheered up in the genial 
company, and forgot the four wee children the dear 
woman had left in the shoe, so worried she did not 
know what to do. She became the life of the 
party, and distinguished herself by valiantly killing a 
scorpion during the absence of the gentlemen, putting 
her dainty little foot upon it amidst general applause. 
Then Mrs. played the ' Silver Trumpets ' so ex- 
quisitely that Mrs. B. fancied herself once more in the 



440 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



Eternal City under the great dome, in presence of . 

This was followed by songs, and then more than one 
person was observed to yawn, and the party separated 
after a chorus from the Christy Minstrels. 

Coompsee, December 24. 

Instead of returning to Bangalore, as originally 
planned, I have come on with the camp, as everyone 
said it was a great pity to be within sixty miles of the 
finest waterfalls in the world, and not to see them. 

I am writing in L.'s tent. It is blowing a gale of 
wind, and we have just had the tent-ropes tightened. 
The rapid changes of climate in Mysore make the 
country very trying, and the only way to meet the 
difficulty and counteract bad effects is to pay great 
attention to clothing. In the morning, from six to 
nine o'clock, I can comfortably wear warm woollen 
stockings, flannel vest, a petticoat, and my wadded 
velvet jacket. Before breakfast I bathe, and then dis- 
pense with several of these articles ; and at three, when 
I take my siesta, I am glad to throw off as much cloth- 
ing as is compatible with propriety. But, before starting 
for my evening walk, I wrap myself up again, though 
not so extensively as in the early morning. 

We found the old fort of Coompsee in a very ruinous 
and filthy condition, uninhabited, and doubtless de- 
serted because it is unhealthy, as it well may be with a 
moat of stagnant water ; and I should have left the 
place with an unpleasing impression had we not found 
the town itself very neat and clean. The verandahs in 
front of the houses are generally painted with broad 



SPLENDID TREES. 



441 



white and red stripes, and bamboos had been put up 
here and there, from which they suspended strings of 
leaves — a simple style of decoration in honor of L/s 
visit. 

Anantpoor, December 29. 

As Mr. C. is coming to the Falls on purpose to drive 
me, so he says, I was of course consigned to his care ; 
but when it was daylight he gave the reins over to me, 
and I felt much less nervous driving myself, though it 
was so cold that my hands were quite benumbed. 

The road was very pretty, running through jungle, 
with a peep, from time to time, of the distant country. 
The jungle was high, beautiful graceful clumps of bam- 
boos meeting over our heads, and forming natural 
arches across the road. The latter part of the drive 
was through a splendid avenue of Dhoopada trees for 
at least three miles, up to the bungalow ; and so lovely 
was the avenue, that to see it was worth the whole 
journey. The Dhoopada is a giant, with large deep- 
green leaves and round foliage, with perfectly scarlet 
masses here and there — not of flowers, but of leaves 
just turning. The whole way down the avenue the 
Amildar had put up bamboos, with strings of green 
leaves and scarlet flowers across the road, which added 
to the general effect. All the town had turned out. 
and we found a great crowd, with a deafening concert 
of tomtoms, at least half-a-rnile from the refuge of the 
bungalow . 

We had a scorching sun and high wind all day 
rendering the tents unbearable. About three o'clock 



442 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



L. saw the people of the place, who assembled by hun- 
dreds, and heard all they had to say. Many, however, 
remained squatted near the tents after the rest had 
gone, waiting to waylay us when we strolled out in the 
evening, either for the pleasure of staring at us, or to 
present petitions. There is one peculiarity about the 
natives, namely, that they never consider a decision as 
final, and will go on appealing for years. Hundreds of 
petitions are sent in about matters that have been 
finally settled years before ; and some petitioners have 
followed us about the whole of this tour, turning up 
wherever we go, with the old story. 

I walked with L. to the old fort, to see a big gun, which 
had, however, been blown up. The fort is a picturesque 
ruin, and as we turned to leave it the scene was very 
striking. On one side the sun was setting in golden 
glory over the grass-grown walls, and at the same 
moment the full moon was rising in silvery beauty in a 
cold blue sky, reflected in a large sheet of water. 
Altogether it was a lovely scene. 

We returned through the town, followed by a large 
crowd, who were kept at a distance with difficulty. 
Even the animals seemed astonished at a blue petticoat, 
and buffaloes and dogs appeared eager for an onslaught. 

Saugor, December 30. 

Started by moonlight. I drove all the way, directly 
it was light. The road ran through a jungle of won- 
drous foliage, and there was an interesting variety of 
birds — hundreds of small green parrots with long 



SANDALWOOD CARVINGS, — POLITE ATTENTIONS. 443 

sweeping tails, jungle fowls, jays, paddy birds, and 
large vultures of different kinds — all looking up their 
morning meal. We passed a second beautiful avenue 
of the Dhoopada trees, and found our tents pitched on 
some rising ground ; but it was very hot all day. This 
is a great place for sandal-wood carvings, and the 
people brought up some pretty specimens, and pre- 
sented me with a flower carved in sandal- wood, which, 
however, I was not allowed to accept. I ordered a 
plain box for my valuable lace — a thing I really 
wanted. 

A native, who is to accompany L. through the wild 
country, called, and I was introduced to him. He was 
a Jain, and a man of property, but had somewhat the 
air of a savage in his appearance, having nothing on 
but a linen cloth about his loins, and a green cloth 
jacket, the worse for wear. Of course I smiled and 
salaamed, and he left some sugar-canes and sweetmeats. 
One kind of sweetmeat is very good. It is called 
' hulwa,' and is made of camel's milk and almonds, and 
is brought by native boats from Arabia. 

Talgoopa, December 31. 

On our road, we passed a dead bullock by the way- 
side, upon which at least fifty large vultures were 
feasting. We met large droves of bullocks and buffa- 
loes coming from the coast, laden with sacks of salt and 
fish ; while, on returning, they carry on their backs 
grain for exportation to the famine-stricken provinces ; 
so that, although the crops were splendid this year in 
Mysore, prices are expected to be as high as ever. 



444 CHIT-CHAT WITH FEIENDS AT HOME. 

The view from the new bungalow at Talgoopa is 
very picturesque. It stands on the top of a rocky hill, 
looking over a large sheet of water, a deep blue lake 
in the morning light, on which floated quantities of 
large white and scarlet water-lilies, with their large 
green leaves, the red earth of the road, the grey rocks, 
and the varied shades of green in the dense woods 
beyond forming an effective contrast ; while, in the far 
distance, the hill ranges near the Gairsoppa Falls 
peeped out in hazy indistinctness. I spent all the 
morning in trying to make a sketch, which I pro- 
nounced to be a daub. Mr. C. said he would sit and 
do duty as a foreground. He came, and sat near me, 
bewailing his hard fate — only twenty-six, and wanting 
to go home dreadfully, but not being able to accomplish 
it. The bright side of the picture is that he is one 
of the most fortunate men in the Commission — with 
a good appointment, a very pretty wife, and fine 
children. 

Gairsoppa, January 1, 1869. 

The Ghat road is a zigzag like the St. Gothard pass 
on the Italian side, and when we reached it the view 
was so beautiful down into the valley that I was per- 
suaded to remain in the carriage ; and as we w T alked 
the horses, with the horse-boys at their heads, there was 
no danger. Once I was obliged to get out, a bridge 
over a brook having been made with nothing but a few 
sticks, and mucl plastered over them, and it was so in- 
secure that it bent with the weight of the carriage. 

We are now in the Bombay Presidency, out of L.'s 



THE GREAT FALLS. 



445 



jurisdiction, but the other side of the river belongs to 
Mysore. We found a very dirty, tumble-down bunga- 
low, with a few tables and chairs, all ailing, the wood 
being so dense that it was difficult to pitch a tent. 

As soon as L. came up, we proceeded to the Falls, 
the platform on which the bungalow stands being so 
high that nothing could be seen beyond the river and 
the wood, but a mighty roar of unseen waters prepared 
us for what we were to see. 

After following a steep descending path through the 
wood, we came upon some enormous boulders of rock 
which, during the rainy season, are covered with water, 
and, scrambling over these for a few yards, found our- 
selves at the edge of the fearful abyss. I crawled on 
my hands and knees, L. holding me, and looked over a 
sheer drop of 820 feet! the waters rushing over to the 
left of where I lay. Hundreds of pigeons were flying 
in and out of the clefts in the rocks. It was a fearful 
precipice to look over, and yet there was a sort of 
fascination about it. There is not much water now in 
the river, but one can imagine what it must be in great 
floods. The people say that the spray is then so great 
that the pool at the bottom cannot be discerned. There 
are four Falls, all from the same level, the largest being 
called the Eaja, the next the Eoarer, the third the 
Eocket, and the last the Dame Blanche, but in great 
floods they are united in one grand stream. 

After leaving the rocks, we walked through the 
wood to a platform a little below the Falls, a rather 
rough affair made of only a few planks fastened to 
some trees. From this, you only see the two latter 



446 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 

Falls, but they are certainly wonderfully beautiful in 
their graceful shoot from the rocks, and the height 
inspires you with an irresistible feeling of awe. After 
a few minutes spent in silent admiration, we climbed 
up again to the bungalow, and enjoyed our breakfast 
in the verandah, although it was rather a windy 
repast. 

In the cool of the evening, we again descended to 
the Falls, and peeped once more over the yawning 
abyss, the gentlemen being very rash, and making me 
quite nervous by standing so near the edge. We after- 
wards crossed the Eaja fall, a few yards above the 
actual descent of water, on a rough bridge made of a 
few logs of trees tied together with bamboos. It was 
giddy work, but I did not feel afraid, and we then 
climbed the rocks between the Eaja and the Eoarer 
Falls, and, going on our hands and knees, looked over. 
The view looking down the ravine, with the sunset 
lights on the hills beyond, was perfectly beautiful, and 
quite repaid us for the fatigue. 

January 2, 3. 

Descending through the wood the next morning, we 
crossed the river above the Falls, scrambling over the 
great boulders of slippery rocks, which even the gen- 
tlemen said was hard work. When we reached the 
final bridge above the Eoarer, my courage gave way, 
and I declared I could not cross, but, after saying an 
6 Ave,' I took L.'s hand, and on we went together. 
There was no real danger, but it looked so very 
perilous, and the roar of the waters shook one's nerves. 



A BABY BISON. — TRYING SEPARATION. 447 

The palankin had been ordered to meet me across the 
river higher up, but it was not there, so I had to 
walk, which, as it was cool and shady, was no great 
exertion. 

Mr. C. went out to shoot bison, but returned unsuc- 
cessful, though he captured a baby bison, a few days 
old. It was a good size and made a great row, crying 
after its mammy, and, although two buffaloes were 
secured for its maintenance, it refused to be comforted. 

We spent all Sunday at the Falls, but how could it 
be to me a happy day, with the prospect of L. leaving 
me the next day ! I was very miserable, and not 
at all well, the exertion of the day before having been 
too much for me, as exposure under an Indian sun tells 
at once. I was feverish and weak, and L. gave me 
some quinine. The previous evening, fireworks and 
torches were flung over the Falls, and the effect was, 
I believe, beautiful, but I became so faint just as we 
were starting to descend through the wood, that I had 
to be dosed with brandy, and L. would not let me go. 

We had a great deal to arrange, as carts could not 
proceed farther, and the camp was divided, bullocks 
being hired to convey L.'s tents, and coolies to carry 
provisions, and as there is a difficulty in procuring food 
in the mulnad, everything eatable that could be spared 
had to be sent with him. ' Green Jacket,' the native 
who was to show L. the way, came to see me with his son, 
and brought me honey tied up in plantain leaves, but, 
as we could not understand one another's language, an 
amusing dumb show followed, he salaaming and I 
smiling alternately. 



448. CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



Tulgoopa, January 4. 

L. walked down with me through the wood, and 
confided me to the care of the other gentlemen, placing 
me in the mail phaeton, with a warm eider-down quilt 
over my knees, for, in the deep jungles, it is bitterly 
cold when the sun does not penetrate them. Good 
bye ! kisssing of hands ! handkerchiefs waving (and 
used !), and away we go up the ghat, with such a view 
of the valley and Falls, but I only saw it through very 
dim glasses, and it was hard work to wring from me a 
note of admiration that morning. 

At Talgoopa, a native came up to the bungalow 
with the skin of a tiger he had shot, on which Mr. C. 
gave him the usual reward, and presented me with the 
skin and the claws. His room in the bungalow presented 
a curious scene, office tables, with piles of papers, being 
in one corner, the young bison in another, and, as a 
centre piece, the buffalo, which had been got in to keep 
the little savage quiet. Its piteous cries made it im- 
possible for me to enjoy my siesta. 

The weather has become much hotter, and the air 
in the evening feels like that of an exotic conservatory. 
The gentlemen drank milk punch, and grumbled at 
their lot, in having to pass the best part of their lives 
in India, while my thoughts wandered over the distant 
hills to a little tent somewhere, w T ith somebody in it, all 
alone. 



SANDALWOOD CARVINGS.— RUBY AND TOPAZ. 449 

Saugor, January 5. 

I am getting quite a crack whip, and drove all the 
way. After breakfast, the people came with sandal-wood 
carvings, but everything was very expensive — one box 
being 30/., and nothing less than 6/. It was so hot 
that when I went to the tent to wash my hands for 
lunch, it was like an oven, and the towels were quite 
hot. 

Anantpoor, January 6. 

Enjoyed another hot day, which is, however, far 
preferable to the cold east wind, which dries and chafes 
the skin like frost in England. 

We arranged to go a double march to-morrow. I 
went for a walk, and the air was scented with sweet- 
smelling creepers. Captain C. rode Fritz, who is so 
handsome. What a sensation he would create in the 
Eow ! Small head and ears, wide distended red nos- 
trils, with a long tail just escaping the ground, which 
he carries like a plume. 

Shimoga, January 7. 

Such a disturbed morning, and no sleep after three 
o'clock ; dogs barking, horses neighing, and men chat- 
tering all round the tent ; so I got up, and started at 
five in the palankin. At the seventh milestone, Mr. 
C. put me into the mail phaeton, and we nearly had a 
bad accident. Going down a steep hill, Euby made a 
snap at Topaz, and the latter kicked over the bar and 
Euby's trace. I thought he must come down on the 
stony road, and I jumped out ; but the horse-boys 

G G 



450 CHIT-CHAT WITH FKIENDS AT HOME. 

stopped the horses, and, with the aid of a Silladar, the 
harness was undone, and Topaz extricated from his 
difficulty. No harm was done, except that one of the 
horse-boys was bitten in the arm. 

I was so lazy the next day. The first thing I heard 
was that Major H. and Mr. C. had gone after a tiger, 
which turned out to be a panther. He came out of 
the jungle, when Mr. C. fired from a tree, and the 
animal fell. They got down, thinking it was dead, 
when it jumped up, and sprang back into the jungle, 
but charging out again, sprang upon one of the beaters, 
clawing his head and throat. Major H. thought the 
man was killed, but the panther again retreated into 
the jungle, and the man was saved, and brought into 
the hospital. Natives are very superstitious, and fre- 
quently die when bitten by wild animals from fright, 
and a conviction that they cannot recover. Major H. 
related to us how all the camp followers, and the 
friends of the man had crowded round him, saying, 
6 Your hearth (cooking place, literally) will be deso- 
late ! your wife a widow ! and your children orphans ! 
You are indeed a man dead!' Major H. boxed one 
man's ears, but could not help saying that their ex- 
pressions were very sympathetic. The mother came, 
and flung herself at his feet, poor thing ! The people 
insisted on his walking between yellow water and black 
water, a superstitious practice supposed to be beneficial. 
The poor fellow died, however, and his hearth is indeed 
desolate. 



HORRORS OF BULLOCK-COACH TRAVELLING. 451 



Bangalore, January 18. 

I was so dreading the long journey into Bangalore 
by myself, when I learnt that Mr. M. was also going in, 
so that, if anything should happen, he can pick up 
the pieces. I was really sorry to say, 6 Good-bye,' and 
pretty Mrs. C. looked half envious, as going into Ban- 
galore from the districts is looked upon in the light 
of a trip to Paris, or a run up to town in England. 
Well ! off we went at last, a motley procession — Dig- 
nity, in the person of a mounted Silladar, followed by 
Necessity — that is, two torch-bearers in birthday suits — 
and Discomfort, personified by three bullock- coaches. 
As soon as we were fairly out of the gates, I proceeded 
to undress, and then began our troubles. The road 
was not good, and the coach jolted and swayed to and 
fro in an eccentric manner, so that being at sea was 
nothing to it, but, alas ! there was no steward to bring 
the needful. I lit my lamp, and tried to read, as we 
crept slowly up the hills, but oh ! the descents ! Three 
men, who ran by the side of the bullocks to keep them 
on the road, shouted, twisted their tails, and poked 
them with sticks, the Jehu flogged, and away they 
tore, full gallop, regardless of everything. It was 
trying to one's nerves, and the more so, as, if anything 
did happen, there was nothing for it but to turn out 
in nightgown and bare feet. After fourteen hours of 
this misery, we reached Cadoor. Half the night we 
travelled through jungles, which were all on fire in 
parts, and they lighted up the sky, while the flames 
roared like a waterfall. No doubt, the fires were miles 
off, but they seemed so near that they terrified me. 

G G 2 



452 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



I don't think I ever enjoyed a cup of tea so much in 
my life as I did the one given me on arriving at 
Cadoor. After dinner, we started again for another 
fourteen hours. The road was worse than the day 
before, and in the middle of the night I was so worn 
out that I nearly fainted. On reaching Tipatoor I was 
dead beat, but the bungalow was a miserable place, and 
Mr. M. begged me to go on to Toomkoor, so away we 
went again, such a wearying journey, and sleep im- 
possible. At last, I slept from sheer exhaustion, and 
awoke to find myself before a palatial residence ; and 
you may imagine how glad I was to find myself in a 
comfortable bed in a large airy room. 

We left the kindly shelter and friendly house of 
Mr. and Mrs. P. in their carriage drawn by bullocks, 
and at Nellamungalum my own carriage met me, and, 
after dinner, I drove into Bangalore. 

I am now all right again, Dr. 0. having come to see 
me, and laughed at my bullock-coach experience. 

Bangalore, February. 

I am very glad we are to run away from the heat 
this year, for it is setting in early, but Nundidroog, 
where we are going, must be very much like being on 
board ship, the space on its summit being so very 
limited. 

All the boxes have arrived at last safely, and nothing 
is spoilt. I laughed at the remarks attached to each 
article, but you made a great omission in not telling me 
which is the front and which the back of the bonnet 
and the toilettes, all very puzzling to us in these re- 



AN ARTILLEEY WEDDING. — OFF TO NUNDIDROOGr. 453 



mote regions. The photograph of the Princess of 
Wales, with her boy on her back, is charming. 

Marie is gone to the marriage of Mrs. C.'s nurse, 
who has deserted her mistress for a gunner in the 
artillery. M. holds herself high, and said she should 
see what company she was to be in before she decided 
to go on to the dejeuner. She was greatly pleased at 
L.'s giving her the carriage, in which she has just 
driven away, very neatly dressed, the Arabs prancing, 
and two running horse-boys in scarlet and white, so she 
will create quite a sensation, and, perhaps, be taken for 
the bride. 

I was up at six, and took a nice ride this morning. 
Fritz was so fresh, and seemed to think it was a lark 
to have such a light weight on his back, instead of the 
heavy Sowar galloping him round the compound, so he 
danced and frisked about, while Tsar looked at him 
complacently, as much as to say, 4 What a foolish prig 
you are ! see how well I behave ! ' I really do believe 
Arabs almost talk. 

Nundidroog, February 21. 

We were off at five in the light office-carriage, with 
the little Arabs, the bullock-coach following with the 
rattletraps. It was quite dark, and the stars did little 
to enlighten our way, so we had flaming torches, and a 
very nasty smell as the consequence, till the sun rose, 
a blood-red ball, behind some hills in the distance. 
The country was very wild for miles, with gigantic 
boulders of rocks, tossed about here and there, but, 
after a time, the soil began to look more fertile, and 



454 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



the little Arabs stepped out famously, corning in quite 
fresh at the first station, eight miles. Here Black 
Prince and Erebus took their place, but the former be- 
came alarmed at the tomtoms, which the people had 
brought out, and no sooner was he in the carriage 
than he began a series of plunges, refusing to go on. 
At last, with some persuasion, he went off with a rush, 
which was very trying to my nerves, and continued 
very cheerful for the rest of the stage, which was very 
inconsiderate, as the road seemed to me to be con- 
stantly on tank embankments, or, in other words, on 
the top of a wall, and, of course, we met some gipsy 
tribes just in the most awkward place, with herds of 
cattle and donkies, bearing small stacks of wood. 
However, we reached Devanhalli safe, and changed 
horses, Gay and Melbourne bringing us on to the 
foot of the Droog. We left the high road, and came 
along a cross-country track, which was very sandy. 

At the bottom of the hill I got into a tonjon, or 
chair, L. walking up a precipitous flight of steps from 
the plain to the top of the Droog. The view from the 
bottom is wonderful, the great rocky mountain rising 
in a precipitous manner, and its gigantic sides looking 
ready to fall and crush you. It is a natural fortress, 
and its strength has been increased by a double wall 
and bastions, wherever it was capable of ascent, so as 
to render it quite impregnable. All this time the sun 
has been getting up, and is blazing, so I was grateful 
for a hood over the tonjon, from which hangs a scarlet 
cloth. Eight men lift the pole on their shoulders 
with a sort of whoop, and, shouting and singing at the 



NUNDIDKOOG. 



455 



top of their voices, away they go. It was a fine study 
of the human form divine, as they only sported turbans 
and fig leaves. They went very fast, only stopping to 
change men from time to time, one man seeming to 
command the others, and slapping them all round in 
turns. Here and there we went short cuts, and did the 
four miles in an hour and a half, very good going, con- 
sidering the steepness of the ascent, and as we got 
higher and higher, the air became cooler and cooler. 
We passed within the two walls, and leaving a pretty 
woody hollow on the right, arrived at the highest 
plateau, with the great grey house in front of us. It is 
fully exposed to the powers of the air, is very substan- 
tially built, and is very handsome, having cost Sir M. 
C. 4,000/. We were told it was all so clean ! whereas 
it was deep in dust, the accumulation of years, all the 
bedding was dropping to pieces, as also the furniture, 
and everything was in its wrong place. It was an 
amusement getting it all in order, but the servants ob- 
ject to the Droog entirely, owing to the cold, so there 
was a general distribution of blankets and coats, but 
they sit curled up, looking like martyrs, and shiver 
with great effect whenever I look at them. The ther- 
mometer was 62° this morning in doors, while at Ban- 
galore it was 87°. 

The rock falls away precipitously from the house, 
and looking over the wall down on the plain below, 
you have a grand view. Near the house there is a 
little postern gate, whence there is a lovely scene, for, 
from this spot, you see for miles and miles the little 
villages dotted about, numerous tanks, and hills covered 



456 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



with jungle, lighted up by sun-gleams. There are 
hundreds of wild roses, and at the house belonging to 

Captain , where pains have been taken with the 

garden, the flowers are in great profusion. L. is inves- 
tigating all the nice dangerous paths, and goes out 
alone, regardless of my remonstrances, being quite de- 
lighted when he finds any extra steep place. 

We are thirty-five miles from Bangalore, and have 
two posts a-day, so work goes on all the same. I have 
a table in the office, which is so (out with it) jolly ! 

Nundidroog, February 26. 

How can I have news of interest for you, living up 
here as I do, on the top of a hill 4,800 feet above the 
sea, in an old fort ? To-morrow, however, there will 
be an event in the arrival of our Bishop, and Marie 
and I have been busy in making an impromptu chapel 
for him. 

I am studying ornithology. The rock abounds in 
kites, hawks, and eagles, and the other day Marie put 
the leopard cat, her special pet, outside the house, tied 
to a chair, when a kite swooped down and caught it 
up, but, as he could not manage the chair, he had to 
let go. He returned, however, with five others, so 
Marie had to rush to the rescue. 

Last week the natives killed a panther, and brought 
it up to show me. Though very small it had killed a 
cow. Did I tell you that, just before leaving Banga- 
lore, L. killed a cobra which had swallowed a green 
snake, half its own size, while the latter, on being 
opened, was found to contain a toad ? 



AN OLD MANSION RENOVATED.— SOFOEIFIC EFFECTS. 457 

We are expecting a succession of visitors, our first 
being the T.'s, fresh from England. I shall feel in- 
clined to sniff round them like a dog ! 

Nundidroog, March 7. 

I suppose it is the correct thing to begin with the 
weather, and one cannot but feel compassion for the 
unfortunate people frizzling down in the plains, as, 
from our airy position, we contemplate the misty land- 
scape simmering in the heat below. 

The house has been brushed up, washed, and dusted, 
and looks quite smart ; children's merry voices make 
the walls ring again ; there is feasting in the dining- 
room, singing in the drawing-room, and the old days 
have come back to the musty, fusty, neglected house, 
the grandeur of which had departed. 

The dear good Bishop was carried off in the tonjon 
by a crowd of naked natives, shouting and singing to 
their god Eamanoo, and, as the sound of their voices 
died away down the ghat, that little excitement was 
over. 

Nundidroog, April 2. 

I really am ashamed of myself ! I, your special cor- 
respondent, who promised you a communication once 
a week ! Well ! put it down to the atmosphere of the 
place, which is essentially lazy. The big four-post 
beds make one snore to look at them, the glare to 
wink, the gusts of wind to nod, the old-fashioned sofas 
invite one to lounge, the easy chairs to snooze, the 
stillness, the monotonous tick-ticking of the clock, and 



458 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIEKDS AT HOME. 



a general buzzing of insects, are so many lullabys to 
repose. At four o'clock in the afternoon, a stray tra- 
veller, coming into the house, might fancy himself in an 
enchanted castle, and find sleeping beauties or uglies in 
every corner of the place, save one, into which there 
is no admittance except on business. 

So much, as an excuse. But our distant position 
makes other people very busy, and the road hence 
from Bangalore has not been so wide-awake for years, 
and will require mending before long. Mr. Smith, the 
hotel-keeper at Bangalore, says his horses and bullocks 
have never been so worked, what with wagonettes for 
the Sahibs and Mem- Sahibs, transits for the ay as and 
children, trollies for the luggage, and palankins or 
tonjons for the ghat. Then, the fast-running coolies, 
who do the thirty-five miles every day (the road being 
divided into five stages, with a man at each), with 
bread, meat, and vegetables, ice, and letters, while 
natives from the neighbouring villages scale the rocks, 
with fresh fish from the tanks, game, poultry, milk, 
grain, and what not. And, then we sit, and enjoy the 
good things. 

' And who are we ? ' you ask. Well, let me see. 
There is interesting Mrs. , with her small beauti- 
fully-shaped head, with thick plaits of rich auburn hair 
wound about it, with large brown eyes, who is carried 
about in a tonjon by eight natives with fig leaves, sing- 
ing their quaint wild chant. She is always so gentle 
and quiet, and has a sweet low voice, which says, 6 Quite 
well, thank you,' which is anything but true. With 
her is Miss , who is full of life and spirits, trotting 



OUR HILL COTERIE. 



459 



about with a stout stick, up and down, or galloping a 
pony round the hill, and enjoying it £ Oh ! so much ! ' 
She will sing for you by the hour, with a full rich 
voice, which it is a pleasure to listen to, and will cro- 
quet you to Jericho, if you give her a chance. She 

and Mrs. ■ , with a small child, live in a queer little 

house, perched on a precipitous rock, half-a-mile down, 
their nearest neighbours being a colony of monkeys, 
who look in now and again. 

Higher up is Mr. D.'s house, occupied by a host of 
people, it being a most elastic place. First, there is 

Mrs. , a very sprightly hospitable dame, who may 

be seen at an early hour in the morning, a la berg ere , 
in an undeniably short costume, knowing little hat, 
locks flying in the wind (mane down her shoulders), 
looking after her cows with, on dit, a silver crook and 
milk pails. As, however, no very early hour sees the 
light of my countenance, I cannot say if this is correct. 

Then there is tall, graceful Mrs. , with a chig- 
non of golden hair, and five little s in tow, of 

various ages. Two fine boys are to be sent shortly to 
England round the Cape, the thought of which gives 
poor mamma a heart-ache. Pretty little Cecie, with 
her lovely dark eyes, sidles up to L. every evening on 
the croquet ground, and whispers 6 Chocolate, please.' 
The sweet little pet gets carried into the house for 
some, of course. Then two babies, in the arms of two 
smart ayahs, with rings in their noses and ears, wrapped 
in bright cloths. 

Higher still, the Kundi house, looking so grey and 
solemn, and, inside, smelling sweetly of flowers, stolen 



460 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



from a certain garden hard by, belonging to the other 
house on the droog, which, though taken, still remains 
unoccupied. 

In one corner, on the ground-floor of the house, in 
a long low room, lives Marie, my factotum, a very busy 
person, who keeps the native tailor, who sits cross- 
legged on the floor, busy also, while a half-caste girl, 
decidedly pretty, but looking, like the atmosphere, 
lazy, plays with a handsome wild leopard-cat. 

All day long this is the way things go on. Peon, 
from above, ' Mrs. L. ! Mrs. S. wants lemonade,' or, 
6 Mrs. M. wants beef tea,' or, £ Mrs. F. wants chicken- 
broth for baby,' or butler calls, or cook calls, or 
Beebee Sahib (self) calls, the cows come up to be 
milked, or the hens must be fed, or stores are wanted, 
or wine has to be opened. 

In the large room above are two ayahs with a baby, 
mater familias sitting, sipping lemonade and fanning 
herself. On the opposite side Mrs. M. doing nothing 
in particular, but beef-tea awaits her attention, whilst 
she is absorbed in contemplating a toddling little dar- 
ling, on whom an ayah gazes with fond admiration. A 
Mahomedan walks backwards and forwards outside the 
door — a sharp faithful servant, and watchful, but with 
one eye wide awake to his own interests. 

In another room is Mr. G. reading a novel, his arm 
in a sling, and a big cheroot in his mouth, puffing away 
like a chimney. Between him and the room opposite 
two native servants are fast asleep on two mats, where 
they are to be found all day long in the same intellec- 
tual condition. A third, a very old man, sits near 



THE SPIDER'S NEST.— EVENING DIVERSIONS. 461 

them, with a lot of bottles before him, his occupation 
being that of a cooler. 

In the next room, which is cool and dark, there is 
nobody ; but in the sitting-room leading thence, which 
smells of smoke and is hot, may be seen the big spider 
hard at work, and sometimes there is a little spicier by 
his side. There is a very official-looking table, with 
piles of papers and some maps. 4 My dear, don't speak 
to me,' or, 4 there's a peon coming,' or, 4 now, go away ! ' 
but the little spider is refractory, and says, in reply, 
4 Bother the peons ! ' and bullies unmercifully the grand 
official person, who sits at the official table, before the 
big official papers. 

Now, you know who we are. As to what we do ? 
Well, at nine, prayers, breakfast at half-past, after which 
chat and disperse, L. to pen and ink, K. to paint and 
brushes. Tiffin at two, when we all meet ; and at 
three the ladies go napping, to reappear at half-past 
five, when we walk, or sit on the edge of the rocks, 
lazily gazing on the lands below us, and revelling in 
the golden sunsets which illumine them. 

Or we play croquet, and as the game goes on, the 
scene becomes animated. It is fast getting dark, and 
Captain A. calls Miss B. 4 a wretch,' and Mrs. C. calls 
Mr. D. 4 a horror ' ; and, as it grows darker, and 
lanterns are called for, you may hear, in mysterious 
whisper, someone entreated to 4 kill Mrs. B.,' or to 4 put 
Mrs. B. out,' and so on, until the bell rings, and there 
is a general 4 Good night.' 

After dinner, in the house, bezique and music divide 
the time, until Mrs. B., being herself overcome with 



462 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FEIENDS AT HOME. 



sleep, suggests that ' Dear Mrs. looks very tired/ 

or 6 Mrs. , you seem very much fatigued ; ' and so 

the party breaks up for the night. 

Then follow cigars for the gentlemen, and toast and 
water for the ladies ; and people ascend their ladders 
into the big beds, and sleep till morning, unless there 
happens to be a chase after a lizard, or a dash at a 
scorpion in the bath-room — things not pleasant, but 
which will occur at times in the best regulated families 
in this part of the world. 

Nundidroog, April 14. 

Last week we had a great storm, which has cooled 
our atmosphere. The peculiar smell of the earth gave 
warning of the coming rain, and it was a curious sight 
to watch the storm sweeping up, and hiding one peak 
after another, with sudden bursts of sunshine on the 
tanks and clusters of trees in the plain below. In one 
direction we saw a waterspout, and watched it with our 
opera-glasses, the sun shining on it, and giving it the 
strangest appearance, like a column of flame. At last 
the clouds gathered, and swept over the top of the 
droog, when down came the refreshing rain with a 
pleasant patter on the stone balcony. 

Mrs. M. has had a great deal of trouble with her 
servants since she came up here. Her ayah and nurse 
— the latter a half-caste woman — did not like the droog, 
and pretended to be ill. The apothecary found out 
that they were both shamming, so they were sent away ; 
but as the half-caste refused to walk down the ghat, 
she was carried off by two natives in a blanket strung 
on a pole ! Mrs M. has come out of her room for the 



OUE LOOK-OUT POST. — GOOD-BYE TO THE MOUNTAIN. 463 



first time since her late illness, and is lying on the sofa, 
looking pale and languid, the lovely brown eyes being 
bigger and browner than ever. 

Her husband has arrived. L. and I, perched on a 
rock, with opera-glasses, employed ourselves, sister 
Anne fashion, in spying and reporting his progress. 
It is one of the great amusements of the place to watch 
people climbing up the ghat, as we can see our friends 
miles off an hour or two before they can possibly 
arrive. 

We have had the house full all the week, and every 
one is delighted to get up here for a little air. I was 
quite sorry to see Mrs. H. and her two fine little boys 
depart. They were so good, and charming playthings. 
They came to dessert every evening in their night-gowns 
and dressing-gowns — such pretty little figures. 

Nundidroog, May 29. 

We really are on the move. The monsoon has 
burst, and we have had one tremendous storm. I 
never heard such loud thunder. It was like parks of 
artillery, and the lightning was incessant, forking in 
every direction. The mountain has put on its nightcap 
of mist, and is anything but agreeable now as a 
residence. 

Marie left yesterday, and the native servants have 
it all their own wicked way. All the heavy baggage 
went down the ghat the day before on the bare backs 
of fifty coolies, and the house is reduced to its pristine 
state of bareness and discomfort. There are storms of 
high winds and rain now ever} 7 evening, so the place is 



464 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



dreary, especially as everything has been marched off, 
and not a book left ; so L. and I have to fall back 
upon an old pack of cards and an ancient newspaper. 

Bangalore, June 4. 

We left Nundi at the early hour of four. There 
was a strong wind and a- thick driving mist, so 
that we could not see a yard from the door. I 
got into the tonjon, well wrapped up in a plaid, eight 
men hoisting me on their shoulders, a peon on one 
side and the Amildar on the other, the latter having 
politely come up to escort me down. Away we went 
at full trot down the ghat, and, as the mist cleared off, 
the descent was very pretty, with peeps at the country 
below. The Amildar was so civil, running by my side 
all the way, L. having taken the short cut, that I felt 
quite ashamed of my want of confidence in not liking 
to be alone w T ith the natives. Arrived at the bottom of 
the ghat, we found the carriage, and a crowd of carts, 
coolies, aud beggars. L. mounted the redoubtable 
Ajax, and rode off across country to Devanhully, Ajax 
prancing and curvetting like a small w T ar-horse. I got 
into the carriage, escorted by Silladars, and quite en- 
joyed the drive to Bangalore, which we reached at 
eleven. I felt so pleased to be at home, as everything 
looked green and pretty, and Marie, all smiles, was 
waiting at the door of the bungalow. 

Bangalore, February 4, 1870. 

Here I am, writing to you in our dismantled drawing- 
room, from which all the pictures and ornaments have 



A FAREWELL ENTERTAINMENT . 465 

disappeared. I have just come from the nursery, 
where I left my Eddie — Marie's ' delicieux tweet,' and 
the amah's 'chinna Eaja ' (little king) — laughing and 
crowing at the flowers on the wall. You would be 
amused to see the fuss that is made with the little 
fellow. Marie superintends, and won't move from the 
nursery, as she says natives are not to be trusted. The 
ayah sings, dances, and talks to him ; the amah con- 
siders she does her duty in feeding ; old Poochamma is 
employed all day long in airing and folding ; and 
Eosalie, the half-caste girl, acts as interpreter. In an 
evening, Marie drives out with him, while the amah 
sits in front holding a parasol over him. How shall we 
ever come down to the marrow-bone coach ? 

On the 1st, the officers of the Commission gave a 
dinner and dance as a farewell entertainment to L. in 
the Public Offices, which were most tastefully decorated 
for the occasion. One room was fitted up as a drawing- 
room — windows curtained, walls hung with pictures 
and mirrors, while sofas and settees had taken the 
place of the official tables and uneasy chairs. 

We sat down to dinner upwards of eighty persons in 
the centre hall of the offices, at four tables, each table 
being arranged, provendered, and presided over by the 
wife of an officer in the Commission, each lady display- 
ing her own good taste in the matter. The white walls 
of the hall were decorated with flags and spears, and 
the pillars had garlands of a brilliant scarlet creeper 
just now in flower, which was most effective. After 
dinner, Mr. K. made a very pretty speech, and did not 
spare my blushes — never mind, some say they are 

H H 



466 CHIT-CHAT WITH FKIENDS AT HOME. 

becoming. Then they drank our healths, and L. 
replied. 

After dinner the hall was cleared, as if by magic, and 
dancing began, the band of the 16th Lancers playing 
in one of the galleries. The whole entertainment was 
got up most handsomely and tastefully. 

On the 2nd, L. went to Mysore to take leave of the 
little Maharaja, whom he visited in class, learning his 
A, B, C, with his future courtiers, the young Eajbindes. 
He afterwards saw them all at play, Colonel M. having 
taken much pains in teaching them English games. In 
the evening the town was illuminated, and all the diffe- 
rent castes — Brahmins, Seths, Komatis, Lingayuts, and 
Musalmans, presented complimentary addresses. This 
was followed by a dinner in the Eesidency, when there 
was much speechifying, and the evening ended with a 
display of fireworks. 

Guindy, February 8. 

On the 7th, addresses were presented to L. at the 
Public Offices by the Hindoos and Musalmans of 
Mysore, and by the people of Coorg. The hall was 
beautifully decorated, and crowded with many hun- 
dreds of natives, who came with garlands of flowers 
and bouquets to present to L. The address of the 
Hindoos was well composed, and presented in a hand- 
some sandal-wood box, inlaid with a miniature of the 
little Kaja. 

That same evening we left Bangalore. The natives 
had been very busy all day erecting an arch at the 
gate, and swinging garlands across the road which leads 



ADIEU TO BANGALORE. 



467 



from the house to the station. Just before we started, 
the servants came and laid their turbans at our feet as 
a sign of regret at our departure. Most of them had 
been several years in L.'s service, and we had found 
them very faithful. I have not lost a single thing since 
I have been out here, which speaks well, I think, for 
the honesty of the household. 

It was dark as we drove out of the compound, and 
the crowd was so great all the way to the station that 
we were forced to drive slowly, with men at the horses' 
heads, lest they should take fright at the shouting of the 
people, the colored lights, and the torches. The sta- 
tion was crowded with all our friends, who had come 
to see us off. Such a shaking of hands, good-bye, and 
good wishes ! It was quite affecting, and the station at 
last became so full that the doors had to be closed, and 
it was some little time before the train could be safely 
moved out. As soon as it did there was a great cheer, 
and we were off. Farewell for ever ! At a cross road, 
a little higher up the line, another crowd had collected, 
and gave another cheer. It was too dark to recognise 
anyone, so I could only flutter a handkerchief out of the 
window, to show that the kind feeling was appreciated. 

Away we went, whizzing and whirling all through 
the night. When the train stopped anywhere, the 
Coorg deputation, who have come down to Madras to 
see the last of us, cheered lustily. 

How dusty and tired we were next morning, when 
the sun got up, and glared at us unmercifully before we 
reached Madras, where we found Lord N/s son, who 
had kindly come to meet us with an escort. We then 



468 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



drove to this charming place, where there is a very 
large, white, and luxurious house, standing in a wild 
park, full of fine trees and antelope, with a glimpse of 
the sea in the distance. 

Lady N. is confined to her room, having met with a 
serious accident. The horses ran away and dashed the 
carriage against a tree, one of the horses being killed 
on the spot, and Lady N. being thrown out. She is now 
suffering from the shock and many bruises, but the 
wonder is that she was not more hurt. 

I am enjoying the visit here as much as is possible, 
with the prospect of the voyage before me as soon as 
the gun at Fort St. George announces the arrival of 
the French steamer. 

Galle, February 15. 

The gun boomed at last, the French steamer had 
arrived, and the pleasant visit at Guindy was at an 
end. 

The steamer left Madras on the 12th at midday, so 
we were well grilled before we got on board. There was 
the long drive in from Guindy in the heat, the glare 
and the dust, and then the waiting in the dirty little 
bureau of the Messageries Imperiales, where the heat 
was stifling. Knowing what I should have to encounter 
on the pier, I begged for a little water, and, soaking a 
handkerchief, put it as a protection under my hat. 
What a guy I must have looked ! but, just then, I was 
regardless of appearance. Lord N. met us on the pier 
to say good-bye ; and when a Governor does not think 
it too hot to turn out for an act of courtesy, I suppose 



WE LEAVE INDIA. — GREAT HEAT. 469 



inferior mortals ought not to grumble ; so I will only 
give one growl, and say how sorry I felt for myself and 
everyone else, as I stood in the sun at the top of the 
ladder at the end of the pier. Then followed the giddy 
descent, with the waters surging beneath, my heart in 
my mouth, or my head in my stomach — I don't know 
which it was. The leap in, and the agonising moments 
watching Marie descend with the baby, and the feeling 
of relief when we were all safely in, and the men puUed 
off to the ship. There is one comfort in being well 
frightened — that it is an effectual cure for sea-sickness. 

The faithful Coorgs came off to the ship, and got on 
board to see the last of us, bringing me a photograph 
of themselves, nicely taken in a group, and they gave 
three cheers when they left. 

The 6 Grodavery ' was a small steamer, well appointed, 
and the Commandant was very civil. The cuisine was 
excellent, but what was food to me at such times ! 
We had a quick run to Pondicherry, which we reached 
the same day. The heat was very great, but bearable 
till we anchored in the roads. At night it was suffo- 
cating, and waking with a stifled feeling, I called to 
L., and fainted away. I was dragged into the saloon, 
where there was more air, or, I believe, I should never 
have revived. The Commandant was very considerate, 
and, as there was only one other lady on board, begged 
I would occupy the ladies' saloon, where I had more 
space and air. 

We reached Point-de-Galle on the 15th, and as the 
China steamer had not arrived, we landed, and came 
to the hotel, which is very comfortable, but the noise 



470 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIENDS AT HOME. 



outside is distressing. ' Madam, buy ring ? ' 'I got 
one very good ring.' 'Master want ruby?' 'Sir — 
sir, buy fan ? Very good fan.' ' Madam, buy bas- 
ket — very cheap.' ' Comb, sir ? very good comb ; ' 
and so it goes on all day, a crowd of natives, each one 
shouting at the top of his voice, anxious to sell his 
wares, and persecuting everyone who goes in or out 
of the hotel, or appears at a window, or sits in the 
verandah. It is such a nuisance ! 

Marseilles, March 13. 

The rest of the voyage home has been both interest- 
ing and amusing. The ' Hooghly ' is a splendid ves- 
sel, the largest on the line, and the arrangements and 
management are perfect. 

The evening before we left Galle, the great ship 
presented a most curious and animated scene. I can 
only compare it to a beehive or an ants' nest swarming 
with human beings. As she lay in the harbour at 
Galle, she was surrounded by crowds of boats and 
barges, discharging provender, specie, or luggage, 
while her decks and vast sides were crowded with 
people. 

The passengers were of all nations, and the manners 
and customs of some were entertaining. L. was very 
much taken aback the first morning after we sailed, 
on going on deck, as it is the custom for gentlemen to 
do on board the P. and 0. steamers, to find that 
ladies, also with bare feet and airy garments, were 
enjoying the morning air. Some of the costumes were 
peculiar. One neglected little boy of five years old 



A FRENCH STEAMEE.— DISAGREEABLE ANTICIPATIONS. 471 

wore no tiling but a pinafore, which had no strings be- 
hind, so that it waved over his head like a flag of dis- 
tress, while several young girls appeared in white calico 
drawers and blouses — loose and cool, no doubt, but 
remarkable. 

The cuisine was excellent, and the attendance very 
good, all the meals being served a la Busse. One 
arrangement struck me as being very good, that is, 
that all the luggage was lettered and placed in the 
hold, so that there was no difficulty in getting at the 
boxes ; and any lady could go down with ease and get 
anything she might require. 

We had a quick and smooth run to Aden, which we 
reached on February 25, but, on leaving, the wind had 
freshened, it was rather rough, and the £ Hooghly ' 
began to roll in a way which I thought very dreadful. 
Visions of a possible shipwreck on a coral reef would 
present themselves to my mind — not improbable even, 
seeing that so many steamers have been lost on the 
reefs in the Eed Sea in fair weather, and now it was 
foul. That night I put everything ready in case of 
accident, and sat up in my berth ready for an emer- 
gency, getting laughed at by L. for my pains ; but 
when I remember how M. was wrecked in the 6 Alma,' 
in the Eed Sea, in perfectly calm weather, and landed 
on a coral reef in nothing but her night gown, I 
think I was only prudent. 

We arrived at Suez a day earlier than we were ex- 
pected, the Commandant being anxious to see how 
quickly the voyage could be made by the Canal in 
fair weather ; but imagine his disgust, and our impa- 



472 CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIEXDS AT HOME. 

tience, when we found that we could not enter the 
Canal, the Superintendent being absent, and his return 
uncertain. We were advised not to land, but some 
gentlemen did so, and were left behind in consequence, 
for next morning it blew a gale, and the little steamer 
in which they came off could not get alongside of the 
' Hooghly.' After a delay of some hours we steamed 
away to the entrance of the Canal, and then our 
troubles began. The Commandant did get us out of 
them, but I think he was a clever man to do so, for 
the navigation through the Canal of a ship of 2,500 
tons, like the ' Hooghly,' was a miracle of skill, and he 
never left the passerelle from the moment we started 
till we anchored at night at Kantara. 

The Canal work, though wonderful as a piece of en- 
gineering, cannot as yet be said to be a perfect success. 
It is, for the greater part of the way, extremely nar 
row, and not only does it not admit of two ships pass- 
ing one another, excepting in a few places, but a ship 
of the length of the 6 Hooghly ' has considerable diffi- 
culty in navigating the curves. In many places the 
depth of the water is quite insufficient to admit of the 
passage of vessels drawing more than 17 feet (though, 
nominally, it admits those drawing 21 feet), owing no 
doubt to the silting process which is always going on. 

As it was blowing a gale of wind when we entered 
the Canal, it was found impossible to steam at regu- 
lation speed, or the ship would have been blown on 
to the bank, and to add to the difficulty, dredging 
machines were at work, and as we could not stop, and 
they could not get out of the way, we struck against 



THE SUEZ CANAL. — SEEIOUS MISGIVINGS. 473 

some of them, and in one instance carried away one 
of our ladders. After losing sight of Suez and the 
statue of Lieut. Waghorn at the entrance to the Canal, 
nothing was to be seen but the trackless desert, and 
there was no vestige of vegetation or habitation, ex- 
cept the huts of the workmen, till we reached the 
bitter lakes, where the water, being deeper, admits of 
rapid passage. After leaving these we reached Is- 
mailia, a tolerably large place, and the terminus of a 
branch of the Cairo railway. 

On leaving Ismailia the Canal again narrows, and 
we touched the bottom three times. Before we arrived 
at Kantara, the ship suddenly gave a great lurch over, 
as if she would turn on her side, and there was a 
rush at once of people, some to the side and some 
below, when she righted. It was evident, however, 
that she had stuck fast, and it was long before she 
moved again, and when she did, we perceived that 
something had happened , to the screw. The excite- 
ment on board was intense, everyone on board who 
was supposed to understand anything of nautical 
matters being appealed to as to whether it would be 
safe to proceed on the voyage in the 6 Hooghly.' 
People consulted together and shook their heads and 
croaked, and nothing else was discussed all day, most 
people looking at the blackest side. The next morn- 
ing a young Frenchman dived under the ship, and 
ascertained that two or three blades of the screw were 
broken or bent. 

We reached Port Said at 2 p.m. on the 4th. 
Though this town is quite of recent origin, it already 



474 



CHIT-CHAT WITH FRIEXDS AT HOME. 



numbers 10,000 people, being a fast-rising depot and 
port for steamers. Its population is a motley rabble 
of French, Italians, Germans, and Levantines, added 
to the indigenous Egyptians. It is very dirty, and 
the streets are simply tracks of heavy sand. Hotels, 
shops, and cafes are rising up, and there is a church 
and a convent, but the appearance of the place is any- 
thing but attractive. 

Divers went down to examine the damaged screw, 
which was found not to be so much injured as we 
feared, although it was apprehended that the speed of 
the ship would be lessened. 

We left on the 5th in bad weather, a strong north- 
west wind having blown for two or three days, raising 
a considerable sea, but when we sighted Candia it had 
fallen, and I was less miserable. The view of the 
island was beautiful, the higher hills being covered 
with snow. On the 8th, the sea was again rough, and 
the 4 Hooghly ' pitched about in a wonderful way. As 
I struggled across the saloon, I found myself at one 
moment tumbling down hill and the next struggling up 
an incline. As we entered the Straits of Messina, the 
wind fell, and the sea became calm. 

The view of the Calabrian coast on one side, and of 
Sicily, with the frozen summit of Mount Etna, on the 
other, was glorious, and we had a most enjoyable run 
close to the former, passing numerous towns and farms, 
with bright patches of cultivated ground, and, behind, 
the lofty rugged mountains. The whole scenery of 
the Messina Straits is grand and striking, and on leav- 
ing them we resumed our north-westerly course, pass- 



COLD RECEPTION BY LA BELLE FRANCE. 475 

ing by the smoking crater of Stromboli and its sister 
isles. 

The wind was so high that the Commandant thou ght 
it prudent to avoid the rough weather which we 
should probably encounter if we passed through the 
Straits of Bonifaccio, so we steamed along the eastern 
side of Corsica, and in the morning had a grand view 
of Bastia and other places near Cape Corse. But the 
mestral blew fiercely, and on reaching Marseilles it 
was so rough that the pilot would not take us into 
harbour, so we steered into the quarantine basin to our 
great disgust and wrath. We were all ready to land, 
and many of us knew that warm hearts and dear hands 
were waiting on the quay to greet us. 

The ship, having been built for the tropics, was 
bitterly cold, the mestral whistling through the per- 
siennes, while we all shivered and grumbled and be- 
moaned our hard fate for thirty-six long weary hours, 
at the end of which time, having all lost our tempers, 
and many of us caught bad colds, we steered towards 
the Quai Napoleon. The ship seemed herself irate at 
her cold reception, and took the roof off a warehouse 
as she lay to. 



LONDON: PRINTED BY 
SPOTTISWOODE AND CO., NEW-STREET SQUARE 
AND PARLIAMENT STREET 



LB Ag '05 



